THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


GIFT  OF 

Mrs.  Ben  B.  Lindsey 


PAUL 


A  HERALD  OF  THE  CROSS 


BY 


FLORENCE  MORSE  KINGSLEY 

Author  of"  Titus  "  and  "Stephen '' 


Philadelphia 

HENRY  ALTEMUS 

1898 


COPYRIGHT,  1897,  BY  FLOHENCB  MORSE  KINGSLEY 


1IENKV   AI.TF.Ml'S,   MANUFACTURER 

I  IIII.Alil  I  11I1A 


rs 

2/7J 


TO  MY  FATHER 


1106228 

(Hi) 


PREFACE. 


TN  "Titus,"  the  first  of  this  series,  I  endeavored  to 
-*•  make  new  "the  old,  old  story,"  to  depict  a  real, 
a  living  Jesus,  not  enthroned  in  some  far-away  inac 
cessible  glory,  but  "  with  us  alway,  even  unto  the 
end." 

In  "Stephen,"  I  showed  the  bereft  disciples,  com 
forted  with  the  comfort  which  streamed  down  into 
their  sad  hearts  in  abundant  measure  from  the  Master 
who  had  gone  away  because  it  was  "expedient"  for 
them,  joyful  with  the  joy  which  he  had  given  them, 
and  serene  in  the  midst  of  trial  and  persecution  with 
the  peace  which  he  had  bestowed  upon  them,  a  last 
precious  legacy. 

In  "  Paul,"  I  have  carried  the  story  further,  and 
with  it  I  have  interwoven  some  account  of  the  great 
world  without  the  confines  of  the  Holy  Land  ;  the 
world  which  lay  in  misery  and  sin,  and  into  which 
Christ  had  bidden  his  disciples  go  forth  to  carry  the 
Glad-tidings  of  the  Cross. 


vi  PREFACE. 

Saul  the  persecutor,  the  relentless  Pharisee,  the 
learned  rabbi,  has  become  Paul,  the  herald  of  the 
Cross.  We  see  his  heroic  figure  starting  out  into  the 
night  alone,  in  that  darkest  hour  which  comes  before 
dawn,  proclaiming  in  trumpet-tones  the  glorious  tidings 
of  the  coming  day.  We  see  the  brood  of  evil  crea 
tures,  that  loved  darkness  rather  than  light,  bestir 
themselves  to  do  him  battle.  We  see  the  conflict 
joined,  never  to  be  given  over  for  a  moment  till  the 
worn  conqueror  lays  his  armor  down  to  receive  the 
crown  of  victory  from  the  hand  of  the  Lord,  the  right 
eous  Judge. 

To  fully  understand  the  life  and  labors  of  the  great 
apostle,  it  is  necessary  to  also  comprehend  something 
of  the  hopeless  degradation  of  those  in  high  places,  to 
look  for  an  instant  into  the  frightful  abysses  into  which 
the  decadent  religions  were  hurrying  mankind.  I  have 
therefore  endeavored  to  portray  the  Christless  world 
— the  world  as  it  was  in  the  "  fullness  of  time,"  as  well 
as  the  divine  remedy  applied. 

It  seems  scarcely  necessary  to  give  the  long  list  of 
authorities  consulted  in  the  preparation  of  this  volume. 
It  will  be  noticed,  however,  that  I  refer  most  frequently 
in  my  occasional  notes  to  Farrar's  "  Life  and  Work  of 
St.  Paul,"  and  to  "The  Life  and  Epistles  of  St.  Paul " 
by  Conybeare  and  Howson.  And,  indeed,  while  I 


PREFACE.  vii 

had  in  my  possession  many  of  the  authorities  to  which 
these  authors  in  their  turn  refer,  I  would  acknowledge 
my  great  indebtedness  to  their  scholarly  works.  I 
should  also  mention  Guhl  and  Koner's  "  Life  of  the 
Greeks  and  Romans,"  to  which  I  referred  continually 
for  information  relating  to  dress,  customs,  etc. ;  and  to 
the  ancient  chronicles  of  Josephus,  where  I  found  the 
stories  of  Agrippa,  of  Caius,  of  Herodias,  and  of  the 
other  historical  personages  who  figure  more  or  less 
largely  in  these  pages. 

If  in  these  scenes  from  the  life  and  times  of  St.  Paul, 
I  have  succeeded,  in  some  small  measure,  in  enabling 
the  reader  to  see  for  himself  not  merely  Paul,  the  the 
ologian  ;  Paul,  the  setter-forth  of  "  the  scheme  of  sal 
vation  ;"  Paul,  the  stern  ascetic,  thundering  forth  reproof 
and  denunciation  against  evil-doers — but  Paul,  the  fear 
less  herald  of  the  Cross,  pouring  out  his  life  like  water, 
that  he  might  save  the  lost ;  Paul,  the  tent-maker, 
laboring  with  his  hands  that  he  might  minister  to  the 
necessities  of  others  ;  "  Paul,  the  aged  ;"  "  Paul,  the 
prisoner  of  the  Lord  Jesus,"  healing  the  sick,  cheer 
ing  the  oppressed  and  down-trodden,  the  father  of  all 
the  churches,  the  friend  of  sinners  and  of  God — if  we 
shall  look  upon  him  thus,  we  shall  read  the  Epistles 
with  new  eyes,  seeing  in  them  the  outpourings  of  a 
great  loving  heart  which  beat  divinely  for  all  human- 


viii  PREFACE. 

ity ;  and  so  reading,  we  shall  long  to  be  numbered 
among  the  saints  and  faithful  brethren  to  whom  he 
writes. 

FLORENCE  MORSE  KINGSLEY. 

WEST  NEW  BRIGHTON,  Feb.  6,  1897. 

STATEN  ISLAND,  N.  Y. 


CONTENTS. 


PART  I. 
"  The  Night  is  Far  Spent." 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  THE  VISION  ON  THE  HOUSETOP,                .        .        .13 
II.  IN  THE  HOUSE  OF  JUDAS, 23 

III.  THE  SOOTHSAYER, 32 

IV.  THREE  PRINCES  AND  A  SLAVE 39 

V.  IN  THE  DESERT  OF  SINAI, 49 

VI.  THE  RECLUSE  OF  CAPRAE 58 

VII.  THE  ROSE  OF  LEBANON, 70 

VIII.  A  FORBIDDEN  VISIT, 77 

IX.  IN  THE  TEMPLE  OF  BAAL, 88 

X.  THE  PHYSICIAN  AND  THE  EMPEROR,  ....      96 

XI.  THE  MASTER  OF  THE  WORLD, 107 

XII.  THE  CHOSEN  AND  THE  ACCURSED,     .        .        .        .115 

XIII.  SAUL  IN  JERUSALEM, 129 

XIV.  HERODIAS,  .........     143 

XV.  CAIUS,  THE  GOD,         .        .        .        .        .        .        .152 

XVI.  THE  COLOSSUS  OF  SIDON, 167 

XVII.  THE  MEDIATOR, 180 

XVIII.  THE  END  OF  THE  PLAY, 191 

XIX.  INTERREGNUM, 201 

XX.  CLAUDIUS  OESAR, 209 

(ix) 


:  CONTESTS. 

PART  II. 

"  The  Day  is  at  Hand!' 
CHAPTER  PAGE 

XXI.  AN  EPISTLE,  .  .        .        .        .       .        .223 

XXII.  A  BOATMAN  OF  ANTIOCH, 228 

XXIII.  THE  KING  OF  THE  JEWS, 2ji 

XXIV.  A  STRONG  DELIVERER, 253 

XXV.  RETRIBUTION,         ........     261 

XXVI.  SENT  FORTH.         . 271 

XXVII.  A  LIGHT  OF  THE  GENTILES,         .        .        .        .  282 

XXVIII.  A  MESSENGER  OF  THE  MOST  HIGH,     .        .  291 

XXIX.  THE  CALLING  OF  TIMOTHY,.        ....  301 

XXX.  FROM  JERUSALEM  TO  GALATIA,     ....  310 

XXXI.  IN  PIIILIPPI,  .        .        .' 317 

XXXII.  A  STRANGER  IN  ATHENS,      .        .        .        .        .  329 

XXXIII.  THE  TENT  MAKER,        .        .                        .        .  3^1 

XXXIV.  A  BUSINESS  MAN  OF  EPHESUS,     .        .        .        .353 
XXXV.  GREAT  DIANA  OF  THE  EPIIESIANS,      .        .        .  366 


TART  III. 
"An  Ambassador  in  Bonds" 

XXXVI.  "  DESPISED  AND  REJECTED,"         «...    381 
XXXVII.  A  PROMISE  AND  A  Vow,       .        .        .        .        .392 

XXXVIII.  PAUL  AND  FELIX,  .        .        .        .        .        .        .403 

XXXIX.  "C^ESAREM  APPELLO!"         .        .        . .      ,        .    415 

XL.  ON  THE  WAY  TO  ROME, 427 

XLI.  "  READY  TO  BE  OFFERED," 44.0 


PART  I 

"THE  NIGHT  is  FAR  SPENT" 


(xi) 


3.7; 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  VISION  ON  THE  HOUSETOP. 

IVE  the  little  one  to  me,  and  rest  thou,  queen  of 
my  soul,  while  I  show  him  the  new  moon 
yonder." 

"  He  is  ill  because  of  the  hot  wind,"  said  the 
woman  wearily.  "  See  the  roses  also,  how  they  hang 
their  heads ;  the  breath  of  the  wilderness  is  death  to 
such  tender  things." 

"Ay,"  said  the  man,  "it  is  an  evil  spirit  which  the 
mountains  yonder  war  against  continually.  But  be  of 
good  cheer,  it  hath  again  been  driven  back  into  the 
fiery  torments  of  the  desert.  Hark,  littlest,  hearest 
thou  the  voice  of  the  fountains,  the  song  of  many 
birds  also,  and  the  rejoicing  of  the  green  leaves  ?" 

He  paused  for  a  moment  in  his  slow  walk  and  the 
child  hushed  its  fretful  wail  to  listen  ;  as  for  the  mother, 
she  sat  quietly,  her  back  against  the  parapet,  her  eyes 
fixed  upon  the  slender  horn  of  the  new  moon  which 
hung  above  the  low  eastern  horizon.  Through  the 
silence  came  the  musical  gurgle  and  rush  of  water,  and 
the  rustle  of  foliage  from  the  little  garden  below. 

"Look  thou  at  the  great  mountain,  son  of  mine," 
continued  the  man  ;  "  he  hath  put  on  his  robes  of  rose 

(13) 


14  PAUL. 

that  he  may  say  farewell  to  the  sun.  Anon,  he  will 
be  clothed  in  violet,  then  in  sad  garments  the  color 
of  ashes,  afterward  he  will  sleep.  Sleep  thou  also, 
little  one  ;  to-morrow  there  will  be  no  wind  from  the 
desert.  Sleep  thou,  and  the  good  Shepherd  will 
watch  thee." 

"  I  hear  some  one  knocking,"  said  the  woman. 
She  arose  and  advanced  to  the  parapet  which  over 
looked  the  street.  "  It  is  our  neighbor,  Simon  ;  he 
hath  returned  from  his  jqurney  to  Jerusalem  and 
will  tell  thee  of  it.  Give  me  the  child  ;  he  will  sleep 
now,"  and  taking  the  little  one  in  her  arms  she  de 
scended  to  the  terrace. 

A  slow  step  on  the  stair  presently  announced  the 
new-comer.  He  was  a  stout  man  and  breathed 
heavily  as  he  set  his  foot  on  the  roof  level.  He  was 
also  grumbling  aloud.  "  Had  I  a  garden  below,  such 
as  thine,  friend  Ananias,"  he  said,  "  I  would  not 
climb  to  the  roof." 

"  Greetings,  friend,  and  a  welcome,"  returned  Ana 
nias  with  a  quiet  smile.  "Jehovah  grant  that  thy 
ways  have  been  prospered.  My  garden  is  indeed 
good,  but  this  is  better,  for  here  one  can  feel  the 
breath  of  the  mountains,  the  fragrance  of  the  eternal 
snows  on  Hermon  yonder." 

Simon  replied  with  a  shrug  of  the  shoulders  and 
an  inarticulate  grunt,  as  he  settled  himself  upon  a 
bench.  "There  are  tidings  of  evil,"  he  said  ab 
ruptly.  "  Hast  thou  heard  ?" 

"  Nay,  I  have  not  heard  ;  what  hath  befallen  ?" 


THE  VISION  ON  THE  HOUSETOP.  15 

"  As  them  knowest,  I  have  been  in  Jerusalem  ;  there 
hath  been  there  a  great  persecution  of  them  that  be 
lieve  on  the  Crucified  One.  Many  are  slain  ;  others 
are  in  prison,  and  others  still  are  fled." 

The  face  of  Ananias  grew  white  in  the  fading  light. 
"Who  hath  caused  these  things  to  be  done?" 

"  They  that  slew  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  and  who  will 
yet  accomplish  the  destruction  of  all  that  believe  on 
him,"  answered  Simon  bitterly. 

"  Hast  thou  forgotten  that  the  Christ  is  set  down  at 
the  right  hand  of  Jehovah?"  cried  Ananias.  "Surely 
he  will  not  suffer  our  foot  to  be  moved." 

"  He  hath  already  suffered  Stephen  to  be  killed  with 
stones.  He  hath  suffered  others  of  the  disciples  to  be 
scourged  and  imprisoned.  He  hath  suffered  babes 
also  to  be  left  desolate,  and  little  children  to  wail  for 
food.  But  the  destroyers  wax  fat  and  flourishing ; 
they  are  not  moved." 

"  So  hath  it  ever  appeared,"  said  Ananias.  "  Yet 
is  the  Lord  mindful  of  his  own."  Then,  after  a  pause, 
he  added,  "  We  are  at  peace,  thanks  be  to  Jehovah, 
for  there  is  no  one  in  all  Damascus  who  would  lift  up 
a  hand  against  us — who  also  walk  blameless  according 
to  the  law.  Let  us  send  word  to  the  smitten  ones  that 
they  come  hither ;  here  shall  they  find  refuge." 

"  I  have  not  yet  told  thee  the  worst,"  said  Simon, 
dejectedly.  "A  certain  Saul  of  Tarsus,  a  Pharisee 
taught  of  Gamaliel,  and  most  bitter  against  the  Christ, 
hath  come  hither  to  Damascus  with  the  intent  to  carry 
away  in  chains  to  Jerusalem  every  least  disciple  of  the 


16  PAUL. 

Crucified  One.  He  is  without  mercy,  and  will  slay 
and  spare  not  all  that  resist  him.  When  I  heard  of 
his  purpose,  I  made  haste  to  return  to  Damascus,  that 
I  might  warn  the  brethren.  Surely  it  were  better  to 
flee  into  the  desert  than  to  perish  miserably  under  the 
scourge." 

His  voice  died  away  into  silence,  and  in  the  hush 
the  voice  of  the  mother  singing  to  her  babe  floated  up 
to  them. 

Ananias  moistened  his  dry  lips.  "  Didst  thou  say 
that  the  man  laid  his  hand  also  upon  women  and 
babes  ?"  he  asked  huskily. 

"  More  than  once  hath  he  seized  the  mother  and  left 
the  little  ones  desolate  in  the  house — for  so  it  was  told 
me  in  Jerusalem,"  replied  Simon.  "Yet  it  may  be 
that  the  Lord  hath  had  mercy  upon  us.  I  heard  a 
strange  thing  concerning  the  man  as  I  came  hither  to 
night  ;  it  was  told  me  by  Ben  Ethan,  one  of  the  keepers 
of  the  Eastern  Gate.  Yesterday,  at  about  the  ninth 
hour,  a  company  of  men  approached  the  city,  some 
riding  upon  beasts,  others  walking.  In  the  midst  was 
a  man,  whom  also  two  of  his  comrades  led  by  the 
hand.  When  the  head  keeper  questioned  them,  say 
ing,  '  Who  are  you  and  whence  do  ye  come  ?'  One 
made  answer,  saying,  '  The  chief  man  of  our  company 
is  Saul,  a  worshipful  rabbi  from  Jerusalem.  He  bear- 
eth  letters  from  the  Senate  and  Council  of  Israel  to  the 
governor  of  this  city.' 

"  '  Let  him  appear  then  and  speak,'  quoth  the  keeper 
of  the  gate.  To  whom  the  other  made  answer,  '  The 


THE  VISION  ON  THE  HOUSETOP.  17 

man  Saul  hath  been  grievously  smitten  in  the  way  by 
a  great  and  terrible  light  which  blazed  suddenly  out 
of  heaven  as  we  journeyed ;  and  lo,  he  is  blind,  and 
we  have  brought  him  hither  leading  him  by  the  hand, 
even  as  thou  seest.  Grant  us  an  entrance  speedily,  I 
pray  thee,  that  we  may  fetch  him  to  a  resting-place, 
for  he  is  in  a  desperate  strait.' ' 

"  And  as  Ben  Ethan  looked  earnestly  upon  the  man 
Saul,  he  perceived  that  he  trembled  exceedingly  as  he 
stood,  and  seemed  not  to  hear  what  was  passing  about 
him,  but  continually  did  moan  within  himself,  and  also 
that  his  face  was  as  the  face  of  one  stricken  with  death. 
Furthermore,  he  told  me  that  when  the  business  with 
the  chief  officer  of  the  gate  was  finished,  that  they  led 
the  man,  still  trembling  and  moaning,  into  the  city. 
God  grant  that  death  follow  hard  after,  and  that  it 
overtake  him  speedily." 

Ananias  shook  his  head.  "  Thou  knowest  not  what 
thou  art  saying,  friend.  God's  ways  are  not  man's 
ways,  nor  are  his  thoughts  their  thoughts.  There  is 
something  here  that  we  do  not  understand." 

"  If  he  be  smitten  that  he  die,  then  shall  we  live — we 
and  our  little  ones,"  said  Simon  obstinately.  "Therefore 
shall  I  continue  to  pray  to  God  to  remove  him  out  of  the 
land  of  the  living.  Surely  he  hath  deserved  to  die." 

"  Pray,  rather,  that  God's  will  may  be  done  concern 
ing  the  man  and  us.  Even  should  he  rend  my  child 
from  my  bosom  I  could  not  pray  for  his  undoing. 
Vengeance  belongeth  to  the  Lord,  and  in  his  hand 
also  is  the  breath  of  every  living  thing." 

2 


18  PA  UL. 

"  Pray  as  thou  wilt,  friend,"  said  Simon,  rising,  "  and 
I  will  pray,  even  as  did  David,  for  the  destruction  of 
mine  enemies.  The  Lord  heard  him  and  gave  him  his 
desire  upon  them  that  sought  his  hurt,  as  thou  mayst 
read  in  the  Psalms.  Farewell ;  Jehovah  keep  thee  and 
thine." 

Ananias  seemed  hardly  to  have  heard  the  parting 
words  of  his  guest ;  he  also  had  risen  and  was  walking 
slowly  up  and  down.  His  heart  had  grown  heavy 
within  him,  and  it  was  heavier  still  as  he  saw  his  wife 
approaching  from  the  adjoining  roof-terrace. 

"Our  son  sleeps,  my  lord,"  she  said,  with  a  low 
laugh  of  content.  "  Thou  shouldst  have  heard  him 
pray  to  the  ascended  One ;  he  repeated  the  prayer 
that  thou  didst  teach  him,  and  afterward,  '  Good  Jesus, 
let  not  the  wind  from  the  desert  blow  to-morrow. 
Amen.'  I  could  not  chide  him,  and  to-morrow  the 
wind  will  continue  to  set  from  Lebanon,  thou  wilt 
see  ;  for  I  believe  that  the  Ascended  heeds  the  little 
ones  whom  he  so  loved  wrhen  he  was  on  earth." 

"  Teach  him,  then,  to  pray  that  our  faith  be  not 
shaken,"  said  Ananias  with  a  sigh. 

"  Assuredly,  that  is  a  good  thing  to  ask.  But  what 
said  our  friend  Simon  of  his  journey  ?  And  why  hath 
he  made  such  haste  to  be  gone  ?  I  would  fain  have 
heard  of  the  wondrous  sights  he  beheld  in  Jerusalem." 

"  He  brought  tidings  of  evil,  heart  of  mine.  The 
brethren  which  dwell  at  Jerusalem  are  suffering  many 
things  at  the  hand  of  them  which  believe  not,  scourg 
ing,  imprisonment,  and  even  death." 


THE  VISION  ON  THE  HOUSETOP.  19 

The  woman  shuddered.  "  Nay,  then,  I  am  glad 
that  we  do  not  dwell  there,"  she  said  quickly.  "  It  is 
r.  wicked  city  and  doubtless  the  vengeance  of  Jehovah 
will  yet  overtake  it,  even  as  Sodom  perished  at  his 
word.  But  come,  my  lord,  let  us  sup,  for  the  hour 
grows  late.  I  had  the  intent  to  have  bidden  our 
neighbor  also,  for  to-night  we  shall  taste  the  first  of 
the  white  figs  from  the  young  tree  by  the  fountain. 
They  are  fine,  I  can  promise  thee ;  I  plucked  them 
myself." 

"  Go  thou  and  eat,  little  one  ;  I  shall  fast  to-night  for 
the  peace  of  the  brethren,"  said  Ananias,  turning  away 
his  head. 

"  And  what  will  it  profit  them,  my  lord,  if  thou  dost 
fast?  Wilt  thou  not  eat  of  my  figs  even?"  and  the 
woman  laid  her  hand  persuasively  on  her  husband's 
arm. 

He  looked  down  at  her  with  a  melancholy  smile. 
"  Dost  thou  love  me,  rose  of  Lebanon  ?" 

"  What  shall  I  answer  thee,  my  lord  ?  I  love  thee 
even  as  the  thirsty  earth  loveth  the  streams  which  flow 
down  from  the  mountain  ;  the  desert  laughs  aloud 
because  of  the  abundance  of  waters." 

"  'Tis  well,  life  of  mine.  Go  thou  and  rest  in  peace  ; 
but  as  for  me,  I  must  fast  and  pray  this  night,  both  for 
the  brethren  that  be  in  peril,  and  also  for  our  own 
souls  that  they  faint  not  in  the  hour  of  trial." 

The  wroman  looked  at  him,  her  eyes  misty  with 
vague  alarms.  "  Let  me  fast  with  thee,  my  lord.  I 
also  will  pray." 


20  P.i  UL. 

"  Nay,  I  would  be  alone.     Go." 

She  lingered  yet  a  moment,  looking  wistfully  at  the 
averted  face,  then  she  turned  swiftly  and  went  away, 
but  not  before  an  angry  little  sob  had  escaped  her. 

Ananias  aroused  himself  at  the  sound.  "  I  must 
have  spoken  roughly  to  the  child,"  he  murmured  peni 
tently.  "What  if  I  tell  her  all — but  no,  I  cannot. 
To-morrow  I  will  look  into  the  matter  further,  and  if 
a  persecution  be  imminent  I  will  send  her  away  into 
the  mountains  together  with  my  son  ;  they  will  be  safe 
there."  Then  he  fell  again  into  a  reverie,  but  this  time 
his  thoughts  busied  themselves  with  the  day  when  he 
had  first  seen  the  rose  of  Lebanon,  blooming  in  a 
remote  nook  of  the  barren  hills,  and  of  how,  saddened 
and  grown  old  before  his  time,  he  had  plucked  the 
flower  to  fill  his  desolate  home  with  fragrance  and 
beauty.  "  Nay,  my  God,  I  cannot  again  suffer  as  I 
have  suffered,"  he  said  aloud,  clenching  his  strong 
hands.  "  I  will  die  for  the  faith  if  need  be,  but  spare 
thou  these." 

The  long  hours  of  the  summer  night  crept  slowly 
by,  the  slender  young  moon,  shamed  by  the  golden 
radiance  of  the  thronging  stars,  hid  herself  behind 
the  rim  of  the  desert.  The  breath  of  roses  floated 
spirit-like  on  the  breeze,  and  in  the  silence  the  voice 
of  myriads  of  fountains  cried  aloud,  the  small  silver 
tinkle  of  the  jets  about  the  basin  below,  the  gush  and 
babble  of  water-wheels  in  the  neighboring  gardens, 
and  above  all  dominated  the  solemn  murmur  of  the 
river,  Barada,  mother  of  all  the  waters.  "  From  the 


THE  VISION  ON  THE  HOUSETOP.  21 

eternal  snows  I  come,  to  the  unchanging  desert  I  go : 
there  is  no  variableness,  neither  shadow  of  change  in 
the  God  that  hath  set  my  course." 

To  the  man,  who  still  watched  and  prayed  on  the 
housetop,  there  came  at  length  peace.  He  knew  that 
the  Lord  had  heard  him,  and  that  the  blessing  was 
not  far  away,  that  it  was  even  at  hand — as  was  also  the 
day,  for  all  the  snowy  heights  of  Hermon  were  flushed 
with  heavenly  color.  He  wrapped  himself  in  his  man 
tle  and  lay  down,  and  immediately  a  deep  sleep  fell 
softly  upon  him.  As  he  slept,  it  seemed  presently 
that  the  roseate  glimmer  of  the  dawn  had  deepened 
and  brightened  into  a  splendor  of  light ;  in  the  midst 
of  the  light  he  saw  the  figure  of  a  man,  a  man  into 
whose  face  he  looked  with  awe  and  yet  with  an  over 
whelming  sense  of  joy  and  love,  for  it  was  the  face  of 
his  ascended  Lord. 

Then  was  there  the  sound  of  a  voice,  it  called  him 
by  his  name.  He  made  answer,  saying,  "  Behold,  I 
am  here,  Lord." 

Again  came  the  voice  and  these  were  the  words 
of  it :  "  Arise,  go  into  the  street  which  is  called 
Straight,  and  enquire  in  the  house  of  Judas  for  one- 
called  Saul  of  Tarsus  ;  for  behold,  he  prayeth,  and 
hath  seen  in  a  vision  a  man  named  Ananias  coming 
in,  and  putting  his  hand  on  him,  that  he  might  receive 
his  sight." 

To  Ananias  it  seemed  that  without  fear  he  answered 
of  all  that  was  within  his  heart,  "  Lord,  I  have  heard 
of  this  man,  how  much  evil  he  hath  done  to  thy  saints 


22  PAUL. 

at   Jerusalem,  and  now  he  hath    authority  from  the 
chief  priests  to  bind  all  that  call  on  thy  name." 

But  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  "  Go  thy  way  :  for  he 
is  my  chosen  herald,  to  proclaim  my  name  before  the 
Gentiles,  and  kings,  and  the  Children  of  Israel :  and  I 
will  show  him  how  great  things  he  must  suffer  for  my 
name's  sake."  Then  the  glory  faded,  Ananias  awoke, 
and  behold,  it  was  day. 


IN  THE  HOUSE  OF  JUDAS. 


CHAPTER  II. 

IN  THE  HOUSE  OF  JUDAS. 

" '  r  I  ^  IS  a  strange  case,  and  most  untoward,  I  would 
gladly  have  aided  the  holy  council  of  Jeru 
salem  in  suppressing  this  deadly  heresy ;  but  in  a 
heathen  city  and  unsupported  by  outside  authority, 
what  could  we  do  ?  If  the  man  do  not  speedily  re 
cover  his  wits,  we  must  report  the  matter." 

"Thinkest  thou  that  he  will  recover?" 

Judas  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  Nay,  how  can  I 
tell  ?  There  was  a  light,  sayest  thou  ?  Lightning 
perchance,  and  yet  how  could  that  be  out  of  a  cloud 
less  heaven  ?" 

"There  was  a  light,"  said  the  other  vehemently; 
"  I  myself  saw  it,  as  did  the  others  of  our  company ; 
there  was  also  a  sound,  as  of  a  voice — a  terrible  voice, 
but  the  sound  was  void  of  meaning." 

A  slight  incredulous  smile  flitted  across  the  atten 
tive  face  of  his  listener.  "  If  there  chanced  to  be  a 
cloud  overhead,  we  should  say  that  the  sound  was 
thunder." 

"There  was  no  cloud,  I  tell  thee,"  said  the  other 
hotly.  "  The  heavens  were  as  clear  as  they  are  at  this 
moment." 

"Well,  what  was  it  then?" 


24  PAUL. 

The  man,  who  was  called  Silas  Ben  Ezra,  dropped 
his  eyes  in  silence,  seemingly  intent  on  nothing  more 
important  than  the  pattern  of  the  rich  Persian  carpet 
beneath  his  feet. 

"  It  is  evident  that  thou  hast  an  opinion,  friend," 
continued  Judas.  "  Come,  explain  the  matter  accord 
ing  to  thy  thought  concerning  it,  thou  wast  an  eye 
witness.'" 

Ben  Ezra  raised  his  head  and  looked  squarely  into 
the  face  of  his  host.  "  I  will  tell  thee  what  I  think 
hath  befallen  the  man,"  he  said,  and  there  was  a  shade 
of  defiance  in  his  low  tones.  "  He  beheld  the  cruci 
fied  Nazarene  and  was  rebuked  of  him." 

"What  sayest  thou?"  cried  Judas  angrily.  "Art 
thou  also  apostate,  who  wert  chosen  by  the  holy  San 
hedrim  to  perform  this  sacred  mission?" 

"  If  it  be  heresy  to  believe  the  evidence  of  one's 
senses  then  am  I  apostate,"  declared  the  other  boldly. 
"  Saul  answered  the  voice ;  twice  answered  he  and 
after  this  manner ;  first  he  cried  out  as  one  greatly 
astonished  and  afraid,  'Who  art  thou,  Lord?'  And 
afterward,  '  What  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  ?'  " 

"The  man  was  crazed  by  the  heat,"  said  Judas, 
with  an  easy  wave  of  the  hand.  "  'Tis  no  less  than 
the  act  of  a  fool  to  travel  at  midday  in  this  clime." 

Ben  Ezra's  black  eyes  flashed  angrily.  "Think  as 
thou  wilt,  my  worshipful  host,"  he  said  coldly.  "And 
I  also,  who  was  eye-witness,  will  hold  to  mine  own 
opinion  of  the  matter." 

"Nay,  but — friend,"  said  Judas  softly,  "hast  thou 


IN  THE  HOUSE  OF  JUDAS.  25 

duly  weighed  and  considered  the  matter  aright  ?  Thou 
hast  as  yet  spoken  of  this  to  no  other  save  myself; 
but  and  if  thou  shalt  return  to  Jerusalem  and  say  to 
the  most  holy  and  reverend  high  priest,  Saul  hath 
had  a  vision  of  the  Nazarene  whom  ye  lately  slew,  and 
hath  been  smitten  with  blindness  because  of  his 
glory,  what  then  will  befall  thee  ?  Will  it  not  be 
better  to  say,  Saul  was  smitten  with  the  fierce  heat  of 
the  sun,  insomuch  that  he  fell  to  the  earth  blind  and 
senseless  ;  for  because  of  his  zeal  in  thy  service  he 
was  traveling  at  midday.  If  it  was  in  truth  a  vision, 
then  let  the  man  declare  it  for  himself,  and  bear  the 
consequences  thereof — that  is,  if  ever  he  recover  his 
lost  wits,  which  I  myself  doubt." 

Ben  Ezra  stroked  his  beard  in  silence  for  a  time, 
then  he  said  slowly,  "  Thou  hast  spoken  words  of 
wisdom  ;  and  I  have  heard  and  understood  ;  also  it  is 
an  evil  thing  to  be  an  apostate,  and  a  foolish  thing  to 
interpret  a  vision  which  hath  appeared  to  another. 
For  the  present  I  will  not  return  to  the  Sanhedrim. 
The  others  of  the  company  may  report  the  matter  as 
seemeth  best  to  them." 

"As  to  the  man  himself,"  pursued  Judas,  "  if  indeed 
he  be  mad,  or  if  an  unclean  spirit  hath  entered  in  and 
taken  possession  of  him,  he  must  needs  go  forth  into 
the  desert ;  so  shall  he  recover  himself,  if  it  be  the  will 
of  Jehovah." 

"  Thou  wouldst  not  thrust  him  forth,  blind  and  help 
less  as  he  is  !"  said  Ben  Ezra,  aghast. 

"  If  Jehovah  hath  smitten  him,  or  if  the  evil  one 


26  PAUL. 

hath  obtained  the  mastery  over  him,  it  signifieth  one 
and  the  same  thing  according  to  the  law,"  said  the 
other  judicially.  "  He  hath  gravely  sinned,  and  it  ill 
becometh  man  to  strive  against  unseen  powers  ;  besides 
all  this,  he  that  hath  disordered  wits  is  unclean  and 
polluteth  the  house  of  a  righteous  man. — How  now, 
Malluch  !  What  wouldst  thou  ?" 

"I  kiss  thy  feet,  most  worshipful  master,"  replied 
the  slave,  who  had  noiselessly  entered  the  apartment. 
"There  is  a  man  without  who  desires  entrance,  one 
Ananias,  a  Jew.  He  would  see  Saul  of  Tarsus." 

"  Admit  him  at  once,  and  conduct  him  to  our  pres 
ence  ;  I  would  fain  know  his  errand  with  the  man." 

The  slave  bowed  himself  before  his  master  and  with 
drew,  to  return  a  moment  later  followed  by  a  man, 
upon  whom  both  Judas  and  Ben  Ezra  fixed  their  eyes 
with  some  curiosity. 

"Greetings,  friend,"  said  Judas,  "thou  art  known 
unto  me  by  reputation  as  one  that  is  zealous  for  the 
law  and  also  for  the  peace  of  Israel ;  I  am  glad,  there 
fore,  that  thou  hast  sought  my  dwelling.  Most  wel 
come  in  these  troublous  times  is  the  converse  of  holy 
men." 

Ananias  bowed  his  head  courteously  in  response  to 
these  greetings.  "  My  errand  is  with  one  Saul  of  Tar 
sus,  who  is  abiding  under  this  roof,"  he  said  gravely. 
"  I  pray  you  to  conduct  me  without  delay  into  his 
presence." 

"Thou  art  not  aware,  then,  that  the  worshipful 
rabbi  met  with  a  lamentable  mischance  on  his  journey 


IN  THE  HOUSE  OF  JUDAS.  27 

hither,"  replied  Judas  suavely.  "  He  hath  continually 
remained  upon  his  bed,  neither  eating  nor  drinking,  nor 
holding  converse  with  any  man  since  he  arrived  in 
Damascus,  this  being  also  the  third  day.  I  myself 
have  visited  him  a  score  of  times  and  have  sent  for 
divers  wise  men  and  physicians.  Some  hold  that  he 
hath  been  smitten  by  the  power  of  the  sun,  others  that 
an  evil  spirit  has  entered  into  him ;  for  myself  I  know 
not  what  to  think,  but  I  am  the  more  grieved  concern 
ing  the  matter,  since  the  man  had  come  hither  on  a 
most  godly  errand,  that  of  purging  the  synagogues  of 
Damascus  of  them  that  blasphemously  declare  a  cer 
tain  Galilean,  named  Jesus — lately  crucified  in  Jeru 
salem  because  of  his  crimes — to  be  the  Christ  foretold 
of  the  Prophets." 

The  sensitive  face  of  Ananias  flushed  and  his  eyes 
burned  with  righteous  anger.  "  Beware,  lest  thou  also 
ignorantly  fall  into  the  grievous  sin  of  blasphemy,"  he 
said  sternly.  "  Because  thou  hast  not  known  the 
Christ,  thou  mayst  be  forgiven  ;  but  I  have  both  seen 
him  and  know  him  ;  and  I  know  furthermore  that  that 
which  I  declare  unto  you  is  true,  Jesus  of  Nazareth  is 
the  Christ  of  God,  the  Savior  of  Israel,  whom  also 
with  murderous  hands  the  chief  priests  and  elders  at 
Jerusalem  put  to  death.  But,  thanks  be  to  Jehovah, 
he  hath  overcome  the  grave  and  is  set  down  at  the 
right  hand  of  eternal  power.  It  was  this  living  Jesus 
that  appeared  unto  the  man  Saul  by  the  way,  when  he 
would  have  brought  chains  and  death  into  Damascus 
to  them  that  believe.  And  behold,  I  am  sent  unto 


28  PAUL. 

him  to  deliver  him  out  of  his  blindness,  and  to  declare 
unto  him  the  word  of  peace.  Make  haste,  therefore, 
and  show  me  where  he  lieth." 

Judas  regarded  the  speaker  with  open  disdain.  "  It 
is  sad  indeed  to  see  a  righteous  man  the  victim  of 
such  an  unlawful  and  unholy  delusion,"  he  said  icily. 
"  If  there  be  many  such  in  Damascus,  the  wisdom  of 
the  Sanhedrim  of  Jerusalem  is  abundantly  proven.  I 
only  regret  that  their  erstwhile  able  emissary  hath  been 
prevented  from  performing  his  duty.  In  the  mean 
time  I  will  conduct  thee  to  the  chamber  of  the  stricken 
man,  if  only  to  prove  that  thou  art  miserably  deceived. 
As  I  have  declared  to  you,  the  man  hath  been  blind 
and  dumb  for  three  days." 

"So  likewise  did  the  Christ  remain  during  three 
days  in  the  tomb,  and  on  the  third  day  he  arose  into 
newness  of  life,"  murmured  Ananias  as  if  to  himself. 

Ben  Ezra  regarded  the  pale  face  and  shining  eyes 
of  the  stranger  with  awe.  Instinctively  he  drew  away 
a  little  from  Judas,  who  had  risen  to  lead  the  way  to 
the  chamber  of  Saul. 

"He  is  here,"  said  their  host  briefly,  drawing  aside 
the  heavy  curtains  which  served  to  shut  out  the  light 
of  day  from  a  small  chamber  on  their  right. 

Ananias  paused  on  the  threshold,  signing  authorita 
tively  to  the  two  men  that  they  should  remain  without, 
then  he  entered  the  chamber,  which,  in  truth,  was  the 
tomb  of  a  fruitless  life.  Upon  a  couch  in  one  corner 
lay  the  motionless  and  apparently  rigid  form  of  Saul, 
his  face  turned  toward  the  wall,  his  hands  clenched. 


IN  THE  HOUSE  OF  JUDAS.  29 

Ananias  advanced  without  hesitation  ;  kneeling  down 
at  the  bedside,  he  laid  his  hands  upon  the  prostrate 
man  and  said  in  a  clear  voice  : 

"  Brother  Saul,  the  Lord — even  Jesus,  that  appeared 
unto  thee  in  the  way  as  thou  earnest — hath  sent  me, 
that  thou  mightest  receive  thy  sight  and  be  filled  with 
the  holy  Spirit." 

"  Blasphemy  !"  cried  Judas,  starting  forward.  "  Mine 
house  is  polluted  !" 

"  Let  be,  man,  lest  the  curse  that  hath  been  lifted 
from  him  fall  upon  thee,"  said  Ben  Ezra,  grasping  him 
by  the  arm.  "  Dost  thou  not  see  that  a  miracle  hath 
been  wrought?" 

Judas  drew  back,  and  stared  as  if  spellbound  into 
the  chamber.  Saul  had  turned  himself  upon  his  bed, 
he  raised  his  trembling  hands  to  his  eyes.  "  Thank 
God,"  he  cried  aloud,  "  I  see."  Then  he  looked 
steadfastly  upon  Ananias,  as  if  he  would  fain  remem 
ber  to  eternity  that  face  shining  with  love  and  joy. 

"  The  God  of  our  fathers  hath  chosen  thee,"  said 
Ananias  softly,  "  that  thou  shouldst  know  his  will  and 
see  that  Just  One,  and  shouldst  hear  the  voice  of  his 
mouth.  For  thou  shalt  be  his  witness  unto  all  men 
of  what  thou  hast  seen  and  heard.  And  now,  why 
tarriest  thou  ?  Arise,  and  be  baptized  and  wash  away 
thy  sins,  calling  on  the  name  of  the  Lord." 

And  when  Judas  heard  these  words,  and  when  he 
saw  that  Saul  was  risen  from  the  bed  whereon  he  had 
lain,  and  that  he  had  indeed  been  restored,  he  was 
greatly  amazed,  also  he  was  angry. 


30  PA  UL. 

"  Fetch  food  and  drink,"  he  commanded  his  ser 
vants,  "  and  set  before  the  man  that  he  may  eat ;  and 
fetch  him  fair  raiment  that  he  may  be  clothed — for  he 
is  my  guest."  But  he  himself  withdrew  to  an  inner 
chamber  of  his  house. 

Ananias  perceived  that  he  was  offended,  neverthe 
less  he  baptized  Saul  straightway  in  the  water  of  the 
fountain,  and  afterward  he  urged  him  to  take  some 
meat. 

"  Come,  I  pray  thee,"  he  said,  "  sojourn  at  my  house 
for  a  space,  and  the  brethren  shall  strengthen  thy 
heart." 

So  the  two  went  away  together,  but  Silas  Ben  Ezra 
remained  in  the  house  of  Judas.  Of  all  men  in 
Damascus  he  was  that  day  the  most  miserable,  being 
divided  betwixt  a  longing  to  seek  Ananias  and  to 
declare  to  him,  I  also  believe  in  this  Jesus,  of  whose 
glory  I  have  been  witness,  and  a  desire  to  stand  well 
in  the  eyes  of  the  rich  man  Judas  and  before  the  San 
hedrim,  in  whose  service  he  had  come  thither.  When 
it  was  evening  he  arose  and  went  away  out  of  the  city, 
and  was  seen  no  more  of  them  that  were  in  his  com 
pany,  nor  yet  of  Judas.  And  when  after  the  seventh 
day  he  returned  not,  they  concluded  that  he  had  fallen 
unawares  into  the  river,  or  that  a  beast  from  the  desert 
had  devoured  him. 

"  These  matters  must  be  reported  to  the  Sanhedrim 
at  Jerusalem,"  said  Judas  to  Ben  Ahaz,  one  of  the 
temple  officers  who  had  been  deputed  to  accompany 
Saul. 


IN  THE  HOUSE  OF  JUDAS.  31 

"The  man  should  himself  be  fetched  back  to  Jeru 
salem  that  he  may  answer  for  his  madness  before  the 
high  priest,"  said  Ben  Ahaz  frowning,  "for  I  hear  that 
he  hath  even  been  baptized  in  the  accursed  name." 

They  went  therefore  to  the  house  of  Ananias,  but  it 
was  told  them,  "  Saul  hath  gone  away  into  the  wilder 
ness  to  be  alone  for  a  space  ;  but  whither  he  hath  gone 
we  know  not." 

"He  is  assuredly  mad,"  said  Ben  Ahaz.  He 
returned  back  to  Jerusalem  therefore,  and  declared 
before  the  Sanhedrim  that  Saul  had  fallen  into  a  state 
of  grievous  madness,  and  that  he  had  fled  into  the 
desert  no  man  knew  whither.  As  for  Ben  Ezra,  he 
forgot  to  make  mention  of  him. 


32  PAUL. 


CHAPTER    III. 

THE    SOOTHSAYER. 

"  T  TAVE  a  care,  Ethiopian  dogs,  that  there  be  not 

-I-  -I-  so  much  as  a  fleck  of  dust  upon  the  beasts, 
else  shall  ye  taste  the  lash.  Look  to  that  hind  leg 
there,  Sechu.  Eyes  on  your  work,  idle  devils." 

The  slaves,  who  were  engaged  in  rubbing  down  the 
glossy  flanks  of  a  pair  of  spirited  Arabians,  looked  up 
apprehensively,  then  bent  to  their  task  with  redoubled 
vigor. 

The  man  who  had  spoken  passed  on  to  the  inspec 
tion  of  a  gilded  chariot  which  was  being  cleansed  of 
dust  in  the  courtyard. 

Here  he  was  presently  joined  by  a  curled  and  per 
fumed  youth  wearing  the  livery  of  the  Caesars. 

"Thou  art  in  good  spirits  to-day,  my  Codrus,"  re 
marked  the  new-comer,  languidly  adjusting  his  girdle. 

"Why  not?" 

"  It  was  told  me  that  thou  hadst  the  misfortune  to 
spill  a  drop  of  wine  on  the  robe  of  his  worshipful 
highness,  Agrippa,  at  supper  last  night,  and  that  thy 
master  had  thee  scourged  for  it." 

"Thou  hast  heard  a  lie,  slave,"  returned  Codrus 
with  a  black  look. 

The  other  laughed  and  beat  the  palms  of  his  hands 


THE  SOOTHSAYER.  33 

softly  together.  "  I  am  a  slave,  verily  ;  but  what  art 
thou,  good  Codrus  ?" 

"  In  mine  own  country  I  was  the  owner  of  an  hun 
dred  such  gilded  chattels  as  thou  art,"  said  Codrus 
contemptuously ;  "  by  the  fortunes  of  war  I  became 
what  I  am,  a  slave,  yes — a  brute,  if  thou  wilt,  but — " 
and  the  speaker  showed  his  white  teeth  in  a  savage 
grin,  "  I  am  able  to  avenge  an  insult  even  as  a  man." 

"  Spoken  like  an  orator  !"  exclaimed  the  other,  with 
a  gesture  of  fervid  admiration.  "  Nay,  like  a  prince, 
the  owner  of  a  hundred  slaves,  ha,  ha  !  And  yet,  alas, 
thyself  a  slave,  beaten  at  a  nod  from  thy  master." 

He  fled  away,  with  a  mocking  laugh,  just  in  time  to 
avoid  a  part  of  the  harness  which  the  other  in  his 
exasperation  had  flung  at  his  head. 

"  May  the  gods  smite  him  with  madness  !"  growled 
the  slave  angrily,  as  he  turned  his  attention  to  the  har 
nessing  of  the  horses.  Presently,  the  last  strap  being 
adjusted,  he  sprang  into  the  chariot  and,  standing  erect 
in  the  driver's  place,  guided  the  prancing  animals 
through  the  narrow  passage  which  led  into  the  great 
outer  court  of  the  palace,  drawing  up  with  a  skilful 
flourish  at  the  broad  flight  of  steps  before  the  principal 
entrance. 

From  this  doorway  presently  issued  two  men.  One 
of  them  was  dwarfish,  misshapen,  pallid,  red-haired, 
yet  he  was  by  no  means  insignificant  looking ;  in  his 
cold  crafty  eyes  and  about  the  corners  of  his  thin 
colorless  lips  lurked  a  curiously  inhuman  expression. 
He  resembled  some  dangerous  beast  imperfectly  dis- 

3 


34  PAUL. 

guised  in  human  form,  but  whether  this  animal  would 
turn  out  to  be  a  swine  or  a  wolf  when  once  unmasked, 
was  not  clear  to  the  thoughtful  beholder.  For  the  rest, 
he  wore  the  showy  scarlet  and  gold  trappings  of  a 
general  in  the  Roman  army. 

His  companion  was  a  singularly  handsome  man  of 
the  Jewish  type  ;  his  dark  regular  features  and  broad- 
shouldered  athletic  figure  were  set  off  to  advantage  by 
his  toga  of  white  wool  bordered  with  a  narrow  tracery 
of  the  imperial  purple. 

"To  the  springs,  Codrus,"  commanded  the  Roman. 
"  Ha,  the  Arabians  are  in  good  spirits  to-day !  A 
pretty  pair,  sayest  thou  not  so,  prince  Agrippa  ?" 

"  There  is  not  their  equal  at  the  palace,  my  Caius," 
returned  the  man  in  the  white  toga,  regarding  the  fly 
ing  horses  approvingly.  "  The  emperor  is  perchance 
too  deeply  absorbed  in  matters  of  statecraft  to  notice 
the  occupants  of  the  royal  stables." 

Both  men  laughed  softly  at  this.  "  I  must  secure 
a  pair  for  myself,  and  at  once,"  continued  Herod. 
"  Canst  thou  commend  me  an  honest  dealer  ?" 

"  Nay,  I  will  do  more  ;  if  these  animals  please  thee, 
my  Agrippa,  they  are  thine,  together  with  the  chariot 
and  the  slave." 

"  By  Apollo  !  Thou  hast  a  more  than  royal  gen 
erosity  ;  I  have  sojourned  a  month  in  the  imperial 
palace  and  have  not  seen  the  like.  Alas  !  our  divine 
Tiberius  is  grievously  beclouded  by  age  and  infirmi 
ties  ;  haply  the  gods  will  soon  release  him  from  the 
burden  of  his  mortality,  and  when  that  shall  come  to 


THE  SOOTHSAYER.  85 

pass  the  sceptre  of  the  world  shall  fall  into  a  worthier 
hand.  Then  let  the  ruler  of  the  universe  remember 
his  friends  with  the  same  royal  favor." 

Caius  made  no  reply,  but  a  fierce  light  leapt  up  in 
his  eyes. 

"Jehovah  hasten  the  day!"  added  Herod  with  fervor. 

Caius  laughed  aloud.  "  There  speaks  the  Jew  !"  he 
exclaimed,  "  and  yet  thy  Jehovah,  for  aught  I  know, 
is  every  whit  as  powerful  as  Jupiter." 

Agrippa's  dark  face  flushed.  "  I  fear  neither  Jove 
nor  Jehovah,"  he  cried  scornfully. 

"  Beware  how  thou  dost  provoke  the  gods  to  anger," 
said  Caius,  with  a  superstitious  shiver. 

"  Thou  art  right  as  usual,  son  of  Germanicus,"  said 
Agrippa  gaily.  "  I  will  offer  a  hecatomb  of  victims 
in  the  temple  when  next  I  visit  Jerusalem,  and  thus 
appease  my  countrymen  as  well  as  their  God  ;  as  for 
the  gods  of  Rome,  thou  art  the  last  man  to  deny  that 
I  am  a  devotee  of  Bacchus." 

The  rythmic  feet  of  the  horses  and  the  clank  of  the 
silver  harness-chains  filled  the  silence  that  followed. 
They  had  neared  Puteoli  by  this  time,  and  were  skim 
ming  swiftly  along  the  smooth  road  which  bordered 
the  shore  at  that  point.  Below  them  lay  the  exquisite 
bay  of  Cumae,  its  blue  waters  flecked  with  the  white 
sails  of  numerous  fishing  craft ;  while  within  the  shel 
ter  of  the  gigantic  mole,  which  stretched  its  piers  of 
solid  masonry  far  out  into  the  waters,  lay  a  swarm  of 
merchantmen  busily  discharging  their  cargoes.  Not 
far  away,  a  group  of  royal  galleys  reflected  the  dazzling 


36  PAUL. 

beams  of  the  sun  from  their  carved  and  gilded  sides, 
and  with  their  sails  of  silken  stuff  half  furled  reminded 
the  beholder  of  a  bevy  of  gorgeous  birds  from  some 
strange  far-away  clime.  On  the  right  loomed  the  dark 
form  of  Vesuvius,  the  walls  and  towers  of  Pompeii 
and  Herculaneum  gleaming  whitely  amid  the  masses 
of  verdure  at  its  foot.  Nearer  at  hand,  and  overlook 
ing  the  bay,  was  the  town  of  Puteoli  with  its  baths, 
amphitheatres,  temples,  and  its  avenues  lined  with  the 
palaces  of  Roman  nobles. 

"  There  is  a  certain  spring  within  the  shelter  of  this 
grove  of  olives,  which  I  would  have  thee  taste,  my 
Agrippa,"  said  Caius  at  length.  "  In  my  opinion  it 
surpasses  all  the  fountains  of  Baiae  yonder ;  thou  wilt 
find  it  a  wondrous  spur  to  the  appetite." 

"  Let  us  taste  then,"  said  the  Jewish  prince  lan 
guidly.  "A  feast  with  no  stomach  for  it  is  worse  than 
the  bumpers  of  Tantalus.  I  have  tried  both,"  he 
added  with  a  grimace. 

The  two  now  dismounted  from  the  chariot  and  en 
tered  the  shadow  of  the  grove.  From  betwixt  the 
gnarled  roots  of  an  ancient  olive,  a  fountain  clear  as 
crystal  gushed  into  its  basin  of  golden-hued  pebbles, 
and  thence  with  a  musical  rush  and  tinkle  fled  away 
toward  the  sea. 

"A  veritable  haunt  of  dryads,"  said  Agrippa, 
looking  about  him.  "And,  by  Bacchus,"  he  added 
with  a  laugh,  "  we  have  stumbled  upon  the  presiding 
genius  of  the  place." 

Caius  drew  back  with  a  smothered  oath  and  laid  his 


THE  SOOTHSA  YER.  37 

hand  upon  the  dagger  in  his  girdle.  Upon  the  soft 
earth  at  their  feet,  well-nigh  hidden  by  the  luxuriant 
branches  of  laurel  lay  the  half-naked  figure  of  a  man. 
He  had  evidently  been  asleep,  but  at  the  sound  of  the 
voices  he  raised  his  shaggy  head  and  fixed  his  savage 
eyes  upon  the  intruders ;  then  he  slowly  rose  to  his 
feet. 

"Begone!"  commanded  Caius  with  a  gesture  of 
disgust. 

"  I  must  needs  obey  the  words  of  one  on  whom  the 
gods  have  set  the  seal  of  an  awful  majesty,"  answered 
the  man  in  a  strange  hollow  voice.  "  Emperor  of 
Rome,  yet  destined  to  die  by  an  assassin's  dagger,  I 
salute  thee."  Then  he  turned  to  Agrippa.  "  Hail, 
King  Aprippa !  for  thou  shalt  be  king,  and  thy  son 
after  thee.  Yet,  beware  the  day  when  thou  shalt 
again  behold  the  bird  of  Minerva ;  in  that  day  thou 
shalt  surely  die." 

Agrippa  involuntarily  raised  his  eyes  in  obedience 
to  the  wild  gesture  of  the  man,  and  saw,  perched  in 
the  leafy  branches  above  his  head,  a  small  brown  owl 
of  a  sort  common  enough  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Puteoli. 

Caius  was  the  first  to  recover  himself.  "  Where  is 
the  fellow?"  he  cried,  "I  believe  by  Apollo,  that  he 
hath  taken  wings  to  himself.  I  did  but  lift  mine  eyes 
for  an  instant  and  behold  the  place  is  empty." 

"  He  is  hid  within  the  laurel  thicket,"  replied 
Agrippa  hurriedly.  "  But  let  be ;  the  man  is  mad 
perchance,  and  we  have  no  guard." 


88  PAUL. 

The  slave,  Codrus,  wrapped  in  his  gloomy  thoughts, 
stood  holding  the  bits  of  the  horses.  He  was  scarce 
conscious  of  a  swift  shadow  that  flitted  past  him,  but 
he  fancied  that  he  heard  a  sound  as  of  mad  laughter 
echoing  from  the  hills  beyond.  "  I  will  do  this  thing," 
he  muttered,  his  eyes  glowing  fiercely ;  "  the  gods 
have  willed  it.  I  am  a  slave ;  I  will  be  a  slave  no 
longer." 


THREE  FRINGES  AND  A  SLA  VE.  39 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THREE  PRINCES   AND  A  SLAVE. 

"  17^ ETCH  more  Falernian,  slave;  'tis  too  seldom 
JL  that  I  sup  with  thee  for  sole  company,  my 
princess.  I  will  drink  to  thee  who  art  to  be  queen. 
Ay,  look  not  startled,  sweet  one,  the  gods  have 
willed  it." 

The  princess  Cypros  lifted  her  dark  eyes  to  the 
handsome  flushed  face  of  her  husband,  then  she 
glanced  apprehensively  at  the  attendant  slaves.  "  It 
pleases  thee  to  jest,  my  lord,"  she  said  in  clear  low 
tones.  "  It  also  pleaseth  me  to  listen.  Hast  thou 
been  with  the  emperor  to-day?" 

"  Nay,  beloved,"  said  Agrippa,  lying  back  upon  his 
purple  cushions,  and  regarding  with  half-closed  eyes 
the  delicately-wrought  cup  of  gold  which  he  held  be 
twixt  his  fingers.  "  Nay,  I  have  been  in  better  com 
pany.  Truth  to  tell,  princess,  I  find  but  sorry  cheer 
with  our  emperor  of  late.  He  lieth  all  day  on  his 
couch,  a  huge  bloated  mass,  but  half  alive,  and  un 
pleasant  to  look  upon  as  if  he  were  already  dead." 

"Thou  art  again  jesting,  prince  Agrippa,"  said  the 
lady,  a  shade  of  sternness  in  her  voice.  "  The  coun^ 
tenance  of  the  divine  Tiberius  yet  irradiates  a  power 
which  is  prosperity  or  adversity,  life  or  death  to  his 


40  PAUL. 

subjects.  To  me  hath  he  granted  the  privilege  of  an 
audience  this  day  ;  he  is  graciously  minded  to  restore 
to  thee  the  aedileship  of  Tiberias." 

"  He  is  minded  to  restore  to  me  the  aedileship  of 
Tiberias?"  said  Agrippa  with  a  mocking  laugh. 
"What  divine  condescension !  What  royal  munificence ! 
Thou  art  my  guardian  spirit,  princess. — Nay,  now  I  am 
in  earnest,  sweet  one,  but  for  thee  I  should  perchance 
be  wandering  among  the  disconsolate  shades." 

"May  the  immortals  avert  the  hour!"  exclaimed 
Cypros,  growing  pale.  "  But  tell  me  truly,  my  lord, 
wouldst  thou  not  rejoice  to  return  to  our  own  land  ? 
We  have  wandered  far  of  late  ;  would  that  we  might 
find  some  quiet  spot  where  we  might  abide  with  our 
children,  and  where — "  she  paused  a  moment  as  if  her 
thoughts  were  too  painful  for  utterance,  slow  tears 
gathering  in  her  dark  eyes. 

"  Dost  thou  not  enjoy  the  splendors  of  Caprae, 
sweet  one  ?  Nay,  there  was  a  time  when  I  should 
scarce  have  dared  to  leave  so  fair  a  flower  unguarded 
in  any  one  of  the  twelve  palaces  of  Tiberius,  but  the 
candle  hath  been  well-nigh  burnt  out ;  I  am  minded  to 
see  what  will  happen  when  its  last  expiring  flicker  shall 
have  disappeared.  Something  more  alluring  than  a 
paltry  aedileship  of  Tiberias  may  come  my  way  then. 
I  tell  thee  I  shall  be  a  king.  Ay,  it  will  come  to  pass. 
— What  sayest  thou,  slave  ?  Caius  and  Claudius  are 
without  ?  Admit  them  ;  we  will  have  a  merry  night. 
Nay,  princess,  do  not  remove  the  light  of  thy  coun 
tenance," 


THREE  PEINCES  AND  A  SLA  VE.  41 

"  I  cannot  remain  longer,  my  lord,  Berenice  hath 
been  ailing  to-day ;  I  must  see  her  once  again  before 
I  sleep." 

"Best  of  wives  and  mothers,  peace  go  with  thee !" 
said  Agrippa,  rising  and  escorting  the  lady  to  the  door 
which  led  to  her  own  apartments. 

She  lingered  yet  a  moment  to  whisper  imploringly, 
"  Have  a  care,  I  beseech  thee,  my  lord ;  speak  no 
word  against  the  emperor ;  if  he  be  dying,  as  thou 
sayest,  he  is  yet  alive  to  a  breath  of  treason.  I  like 
not  the  face  of  the  strange  slave,  who  attended  thee 
to-night." 

"  What,  Codrus  ?  He  was  given  me  by  Caius  this 
day.  Fear  nothing,  my  princess,  our  star  is  in  the 
ascendant,"  replied  Agrippa,  kissing  her  hand. 

The  Princess  Cypros  sighed  as  she  flitted  along  the 
dimly-lighted  corridor.  A  premonition  of  coming  evil 
was  heavy  upon  her,  the  remembrance  of  past  trials 
and  dangers  only  serving  to  make  more  dark  the  un 
certain  future.  In  truth,  her  position  was  such  as  to 
make  the  stoutest  heart  afraid  :  married  to  the  Asmo- 
nean  Herod  at  an  early  age,  herself  a  princess  of  the 
same  house,  she  had  suffered  all  the  vicissitudes  of  a 
capricious  fortune  during  the  years  of  her  married  life. 
Expelled  from  the  splendors  of  the  imperial  court  be 
cause  of  his  unparalleled  excesses,  Agrippa  had 
dragged  the  unfortunate  Cypros  through  a  series  of 
debts  and  disgraces,  culminating  a  few  months  since 
in  his  arrest  for  an  enormous  sum  of  money  which 
he  had  borrowed  from  the  treasury  at  Rome.  In  his 


42  PAUL. 

despair  he  had  been  about  to  take  his  own  life,  urging 
his  unhappy  wife  to  follow  his  example.  Cypros  shud 
dered  as  the  ghastly  scene  forced  itself  back  upon  her 
remembrance.  She  had  finally  succeeded  in  persuad 
ing  him  to  abandon  his  purpose  for  the  moment,  then 
in  tears  and  despair  had  sought  the  assistance  of  the 
governor  of  Alexandria.  Not  unmoved  by  her  en 
treaties,  the  gallant  Lysimachus  had  advanced  to  her, 
on  little  better  security  than  the  smile  of  a  beautiful 
woman,  the  goodly  sum  of  two  hundred  thousand 
drachmae. 

Once  more  at  liberty,  Agrippa,  at  the  entreaty  of 
Cypros,  set  sail  for  Puteoli,  where  he  was  received  with 
certain  marks  of  favor  by  the  aged  Tiberius.  One  of 
the  magnificent  villas  of  Caprae  had  been  placed  at  his 
disposal,  with  tacit  permission  to  remain  a  guest  of  the 
emperor  as  long  as  it  might  please  him. 

"  May  the  gods  guard  his  incautious  lips,"  mur 
mured  the  anxious  wife,  as  the  sounds  of  revelry  from 
the  banquet  hall  reached  her  from  time  to  time.  "  A 
word  against  yonder  dying  brute  and  we  are  undone." 

Then  her  thoughts  wandered  to  her  children  ;  rising, 
she  glided  softly  into  the  apartment  where  the  two  little 
maidens  Berenice  and  Mariamne  lay  asleep.  With  all 
a  mother's  pride  in  their  rosy  loveliness  she  moved 
lightly  here  and  there,  smoothing  a  crumpled  pillow, 
or  drawing  a  stray  coverlid  over  restless  limbs. 

Passing  on  she  entered  the  adjoining  chamber.  Her 
heart  leapt  within  her  as  she  shaded  the  light  from  the 
sleeper's  eyes  with  slender  tremulous  fingers.  "  My 


THREE  PRINCES  AND  A  SLA  VE.  43 

Agrippa,"  she  murmured,  looking  down  upon  the 
handsome  boy,  "  surely  thy  pathway  in  life  must  be  a 
happy  one.  Would  that  I  knew  how  to  pray  for  thy 
future.  At  least  I  may  implore  that  the  gods  will  pour 
upon  me  all  their  hoarded  wrath.  I  have  already  suf 
fered,  and  little  or  much,  all  will  soon  be  forgotten  in 
the  black  night  of  the  grave.  But  for  thee,  son  of  my 
heart,  I  must  pray,  Jehovah  spare  thee  !"  Secretly 
she  vowed  a  sacrifice  in  the  temple  at  Jerusalem,  but 
the  thought  of  the  holy  city,  of  the  priests  in  their 
snowy  robes  half  terrified  her.  "We  are  neither  Jews 
nor  Romans,"  she  thought  bitterly,  "  for  us  there  is  no 
God  that  cares  ;  of  what  use  are  sacrifices  to  Jehovah 
or  to  Jupiter?"  And  with  these  dark  thoughts  for 
company  she  returned  once  more  to  her  lonely  vigil. 

Left  to  himself  in  the  banquet  hall,  Agrippa  wel 
comed  his  guests  with  the  hilarious  abandon  of  a  man 
who  had  already  drunken  too  deeply.  He  commanded 
the  slaves  to  bring  more  wine. 

"  I  would  drink  to  thee,  son  of  Germanicus,"  he 
cried,  with  a  reckless  laugh,  "  because  thou  art  to 
be—" 

"  Hold  !"  growled  Caius,  scowling.  "  Forget  the 
insane  ravings  of  a  witless  fool.  I  have  commanded 
that  search  be  made  for  the  man  ;  if  found,  his  treason 
able  tongue  shall  be  cut  from  his  head." 

"  What  unhappy  wight  hath  had  the  misfortune  to 
offend  thee,  my  Caius,"  inquired  the  third  man,  lean 
ing  forward  to  pluck  an  olive  from  the  crystal  dish 
before  him. 


44  PAUL. 

"  A  mad  soothsayer,"  responded  Caius,  briefly/'  who 
dared  to  speak  a  word  against  the  majesty  of  the  world 
in  my  hearing." 

"  If  he  be  mad,  why  afflict  him  further  ?  The  gods 
have  already  smitten  him." 

Caius  fixed  his  dull  gray  eyes  on  the  speaker,  while 
a  malicious  smile  curled  the  corners  of  his  lips.  "  I 
shall  cut  out  his  tongue,  most  sapient  Claudius,  because 
it  pleaseth  me  to  behold  blood." 

Claudius  shivered  ;  he  made  no  reply. 

"  Come  !"  broke  in  Agrippa,  impatiently.  "  Drink 
and  forget — forget  and  drink  !  Hail  to  Bacchus,  the 
god  of  pleasure !"  and  he  drained  the  cup  which  the 
attentive  slave  at  his  elbow  had  just  filled. 

"There  are  no  gods  and  no  pleasures,"  said  Caius, 
sullenly.  "  We  only  befool  ourselves  by  thinking  so." 

"There  be  pleasures  of  the  mind — "  began  Clau 
dius,  eagerly,  but  Caius  interrupted  him  with  a  burst 
of  loud  laughter. 

"What  canst  thou  know  of  the  mind,  who  wast 
born  without  one,"  he  cried.  "  The  gods  gave  thee 
a  body,  but  even  that  is  inferior  to  the  body  of  the 
slave  yonder." 

Again  Claudius  was  silent.  He  seemed  either  un 
willing  or  unable  to  answer  the  man,  who  now  lay 
back  among  his  cushions  with  an  expression  of  malig 
nant  enjoyment  upon  his  pale  face. 

"  Let  him  alone,"  said  Agrippa  in  a  low  voice. 
"  Poor  Claudius,  his  own  mother  hath  no  good  word 
for  him ;  but  he  is  not  without  wit,  he  is  even  writing 


THREE  PRINCES  AND  A  SLA  VE.  45 

a  history  which  would  do  credit  to  Livy  himself,  I 
give  you  my  word  for  it.  Yesterday  I  listened  for  an 
hour  while  he  read  to  me.  I  advised  him  not  to 
show  it  to  the  emperor ;  'tis  too  true  to  be  pleasant 
reading." 

"Writing  history,  is  he?"  said  Caius,  with  another 
loud  laugh.  "  Look  at  him  now,  he  is  going  to  sleep  ; 
that  last  bumper  of  Falernian  was  too  much  for  him. 
Nay,  for  myself  I  shall  make  history  ;  'tis  labor  worthy 
a  witless  slave  to  toil  with  the  stylus,  no  one  save  a 
fool  would  attempt  it.  More  wine,  slave." 

"  Thou  wilt  indeed  make  history,  my  Caius,"  replied 
Agrippa,  confidently.  "  Was  it  for  naught  that  thou 
wast  born  son  of  Germanicus,  Rome's  bravest  soldier  ? 
that  thou  didst  first  behold  the  light  amid  the  clash  of 
arms  and  the  bray  of  trumpets  ?  that  thou  hast  been 
reared  amid  all  the  magnificence  of  the  court  of 
Tiberius  ?" 

The  face  of  the  man  to  whom  these  flattering  words 
were  addressed  underwent  a  frightful  change.  Plain 
almost  to  ugliness  at  his  best  moments,  the  counte 
nance  of  Caius  now  assumed  such  an  expression  of 
unbridled  ferocity  and  hate  that  even  his  hardened 
companion  shrank  back ;  the  pale  skin  grew  ghastly, 
the  gray  eyes  gleamed  dully  beneath  the  furrowed 
brow,  the  reddish  hair,  which  but  scantily  covered  the 
ill-shapen  head,  seemed  to  rise  into  bristles. 

"  Thou  hast  forgotten  in  thy  enumeration  of  the 
blessings  which  the  gods  have  bestowed  upon  me," 
he  said  in  a  smothered  voice,  "  the  fate  of  my  father,  my 


46  PAUL. 

mother,  my  sisters,  my  brothers."  *  After  a  pause 
he  added,  with  a  reckless  laugh,  "  If  I  myself  remem 
ber,  'tis  only  that  I  may  glut  myself  with  the  blood 
of —  But  stay,  I  may  no  longer  enjoy  the  pleasures 
of  thy  hospitable  board.  I  have  an  appointment  with 
Macro  which  must  not  be  broken.  Come,  thou  dolt, 
thou  addle-pated  monstrosity,  wake  up  !"  and  gather 
ing  up  a  handful  of  olive  pits  he  discharged  them  full 
in  the  face  of  the  unfortunate  Claudius. 

Agrippa  half  started  up,  "  Do  not  carry  thy  jests  too 
far,  I  beseech  thee,"  he  said  soothingly.  "  Leave  him 
to  me,  I  will  send  him  away  presently." 

"As  thou  wilt,  Prince  Agrippa  ;  farewell."  With  a 
leer  of  mock  humility  he  bent  before  the  couch  of  Clau 
dius  who,  suddenly  awakened  by  the  shower  of  olive 
stones,  sat  up,  rubbing  his  eyes  with  the  expression  of 
a  sulky  child. 

"Fare  thee  well  also,  Tiberius  Claudius  Drusus 
Caesar  Germanicus,  thou  art  a  prince  of  princes,  the 
historian  of  all  historians,  the  most  amiable  of  an  ami 
able  and  pious  family." 

*  Caius  Caesar,  called  also  Caligula,  was  the  son  of  German 
icus  and  the  elder  Agrippina.  Germanicus  was  a  nephew  of 
Tiberius,  and  a  brave,  wise  and  virtuous  man,  as  well  as  the 
most  successful  general  of  his  day.  He  was  poisoned  by  the 
jealous  Tiberius  in  Syria.  Agrippina,  his  wife,  a  model  of  a 
Roman  matron  of  the  highest  stamp,  was  starved  to  death  in 
the  island  of  Pandataria.  His  eldest  brother,  Nero,  was  put  to 
death,  and  Drusus  was  kept  close  prisoner  in  a  secret  dungeon 
of  the  palace.  His  sister  was  banished.  Caius,  the  youngest 
of  the  family,  was  summoned  by  Tiberius  to  Caprae,  and  there 
only  saved  his  life  by  the  most  abject  flattery  and  submission. 


THREE  PRINCES  AND  A  SLA  VE.  47 

"  Nay,  I  will  go  with  thee,  my  good  nephew,  since 
thou  art  come  to  thy  proper  senses  !"  exclaimed  Clau 
dius,  his  broad  face  beaming  with  delight.  "And  I 
will  read  to  thee  my  history  of  the  Roman  wars  this 
very  night ;  thou  shalt  see,  my  Caius,  if  it  be  not  meet 
to  amuse  the  leisure  of  our  emperor,  who  should  now 
delight  to  review  the  triumphs  of  his  reign." 

"  Thou  wilt  read  me  thy  history  ?  Nay,  I  will  see 
thee  choked  with  thy  parchments  first,"  growled 
Caius.  "  But  come,  thy  excellent  wife  will  be  chiding 
thee  for  thy  absence." 

Left  to  himself,  Agrippa  looked  about  the  empty 
hall  disconsolately,  his  eye  fell  upon  the  disordered 
table.  "  Pah  !"  he  exclaimed  in  a  tone  of  dreary  dis 
gust,  "  Caius  is  right  after  all ;  there  are  no  gods  and 
no  pleasures." 

"  Wilt  thou  not  take  a  fresh  flask  of  wine,  my  lord  ?" 
said  Codrus,  humbly. 

"  Pah  !"  repeated  Agrippa,  with  an  impatient  ges 
ture,  "  I  am  sick  of  wine."  He  rose  slowly  and  un 
steadily  to  his  feet.  "  I  will  sleep,"  he  growled,  "  and 
to-morrow — to-morrow  I  will  see  the  emperor.  Gali 
lee — Jerusalem — anything  is  better  than  this  accursed 
island." 

Codrus  followed  him  to  his  chamber,  and  deftly 
performed  all  the  necessaiy  offices.  Agrippa,  scarcely 
noticing  that  his  usual  attendant  was  missing,  sank 
onto  his  couch,  and  almost  immediately  fell  into  a  sod 
den  slumber. 

The  slave  Codrus  stood  at  his  bedside  and  stared  at 


48  PA  UL. 

the  handsome  flushed  face  on  its  silken  pillow.  "  To 
morrow  thou  wilt  see  the  emperor,"  he  said,  scorn 
fully  ;  "  to-morrow  thou  wilt  again  drink,  and  again 
be  drunken,  and  I  shall  be  thy  slave."  He  stooped, 
and  lifting  the  nerveless  hand  of  the  sleeper,  drew  from 
it  softly  the  signet  ring  of  the  Herods.  "  To-morrow  !" 
he  repeated,  with  a  low  laugh,  "  to-morrow,  thou  shalt 
again  remember  that  there  are  no  gods  and  no  pleas 
ures." 


IN  THE  DESERT  OF  SINAI.  49 


CHAPTER  V. 

IN  THE  DESERT  OF  SINAI. 

OD,  if  I  must  die,  let  me  die  in  the  land  of  my 
fathers  !  Slay  me  not  in  this  wilderness,  I  be 
seech  thee." 

The  voice  that  had  spoken  these  words  faltered,  died 
away  into  silence,  then  broke  forth  anew  in  a  stifled 
wail,  "  I  have  sinned — I  have  sinned,  but  have  mercy 
upon  me  according  to  thy  loving  kindness  and  the 
multitude  of  thy  tender  mercies  !" 

Again  there  was  silence,  the  silence  which  beats  in 
upon  the  brain  with  the  awfulness  of  eternity. 

The  man  who  had  ventured  to  break  the  terrible 
stillness  with  his  petty  clamor  sat  up  and  looked  about 
him  with  wild  eyes.  On  either  side  towered  vast  pre 
cipitous  heights  of  naked  rock,  blood-red  where  the 
sun  smote  them,  purplish  black  where  the  shadows 
fell.  In  the  narrow  valley  where  he  crouched,  sand 
also  the  color  of  blood  lay  in  wrinkled  waves  about 
the  huge  fantastic  boulders,  splintered  off  from  the 
crags  above  by  some  Titanic  hammer.  Overhead  the 
fierce  blue  of  the  sky,  unsoftened  by  fleece  of  cloud  or 
fleck  of  wing,  closed  in  the  narrow  space  between  the 
jagged  cliffs.  Stay,  there  is  a  black  speck  high  above 
yonder  crag !  The  wretch  on  the  sand  stared  at  it 

4 


60  PAUL. 

with  unwinking  eyes.  The  black  speck  resolved  itself 
into  a  body  with  wings. 

"A  bird,"  muttered  the  man. 

Another  speck  appeared  from  behind  the  highest  of 
the  blood-red  crags,  then  another,  and  another. 

"  More  birds,"  repeated  the  man,  still  staring  stu 
pidly.  "  One,  two,  three,  four,  five,  six.  They 
are—" 

He  burst  into  a  ghastly  shriek,  and  tottering  to  his 
feet  ran  blindly  down  the  narrow  valley. 

The  six  vultures,  circling  on  motionless  wing,  looked 
down  unmoved.  What  matter  if  the  thing  below  them 
crawled  yet  a  little  further.  The  word  had  gone  forth, 
they  must  feast  to-night.  They  followed  him  patiently  ; 
seeing  him  stumble  and  fall,  they  settled  heavily  down 
at  a  decent  distance  and  watched  him.  They  saw  him 
tear  at  the  sand  with  his  claw-like  hands.  They  saw 
him  struggle  again  and  yet  again  to  rise — and  fail. 
They  saw  him  draw  the  corner  of  his  ragged  robe 
across  his  face,  and  their  red  eyes  glistened  with  a 
solemn  joy.  They  drew  nearer. 

"  Lord,  Thou  hast  been  our  refuge  from  age  to  age, 
Before  the  mountains  were  brought  forth, 
Or  even  the  earth  and  the  world  were  born, 
From  everlasting  to  everlasting,  Thou  art  God." 

The  vultures  paused,  then  with  hoarse  croakings 
of  disappointment  arose  and  flapped  heavily  away.  A 
man  had  issued  from  one  of  the  cave-like  apertures  of 
the  rock,  and  was  walking  slowly  along  the  valley. 


IN  THE  DESERT  OF  SINAI.  51 

His  head  was  bent ;  he  looked  neither  to  the  right 
hand  nor  to  the  left. 

"  Thou  turnest  man  to  dust, 
And  sayest,  Return,  ye  children  of  men, 
For  in  Thy  sight  a  thousand  years 
Are  like  yesterday  as  it  passeth, 
Or  like  a  watch  in  the  night. 
Thou  destroy est  them  ;  they  fall  asleep — " 

The  sound  of  the  chanting  ceased  suddenly ;  the 
man  stopped  in  his  slow,  meditative  walk  and  stared 
at  the  shapeless  heap  which  lay  across  his  path.  He 
knelt  beside  it  and  drew  away  the  ragged  cloth. 

"  In  the  morning  he  groweth  like  grass  ; 
In  the  morning  it  is  green  and  groweth  ; 
At  evening  it  is  cut  down  and  withered — cut  down  and  withered." 

The  new-comer  shook  his  head  sadly  as  he  looked 
with  keen  eyes  at  the  emaciated  face  and  swollen 
purple  tongue  of  the  lifeless  figure  before  him ;  then, 
fancying  that  he  detected  a  slight  quiver  of  the  mus 
cles,  he  took  the  water-flask  from  his  girdle  and 
poured  a  few  drops  into  the  half-opened  mouth.  An 
hour  or  more  the  stranger  persisted  in  his  apparently 
hopeless  ministrations  ;  at  the  end  of  that  time  he  was 
rewarded  by  a  low  moan,  the  sunken  eyes  opened, 
and  an  indistinguishable  murmur  issued  from  the  livid 
lips. 

"  Drink — drink,  friend  ;  the  breath  had  well  nigh 
gone  out  of  thee,  but  thou  art  saved.  Be  comforted 


52  PAUL. 

and  take  of  the  water,  for  it  is  in  truth  the  water  of 
life." 

"The  vultures  !"  gasped  the  other,  faintly. 

"  Nay,  there  are  no  vultures.  Be  comforted.  God 
hath  had  pity  on  thee  and  hath  saved  thee  out  of  all 
thy  distresses.  Canst  thou  stand  ?" 

By  way  of  answer,  the  man  struggled  to  his 
feet,  leaning  hard  upon  the  shoulder  of  his  rescuer. 
The  sun  was  sunken  behind  the  blood-red  cliffs, 
and  solemn  shadows  filled  the  little  valley.  The 
savage  blue  of  the  sky  had  softened  to  an  infinitely 
tender  opalescent  hue  ;  no  longer  did  it  appear  to 
close  in  above  the  rocky  heights  like  the  lid  to  a  tomb, 
but  rather  to  recede  into  remote  and  mysterious  dis 
tances  ;  no  trace  of  cloud  or  fleck  of  wing  sullied  its 
purity. 

"  Be  comforted  and  walk  yet  a  little  way  ;  there  is 
shelter  and  food  near  at  hand." 

And  so,  by  slow  degrees,  the  two  came  to  the  cleft 
in  the  rock,  which  in  truth  was  not  far  distant.  And 
there  the  starving  man  ate  and  drank  like  a  child  from 
the  hand  of  him  that  had  saved  him,  and  when  he  had 
eaten  he  immediately  sank  into  a  deep  sleep. 

Strange  dreams  visited  the  desert  cave  that  night ; 
they  clustered  thickly  about  the  heap  of  dried  shrubs 
whereon  lay  the  man  whose  feet  had  passed  quite 
through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  only  to 
turn  back  again.  At  the  first,  there  came  to  him  a 
vision  of  many  men  and  beasts  traveling  along  a  stony 
wilderness,  the  burning  desert  flint  under  foot,  the 


IN  THE  DESERT  OF  SINAI.  63 

burning  Syrian  sky  overhead.  On  and  on  they  toiled, 
and  as  they  went  the  pitiless  sun  climbed  its  appointed 
way  till  it  stood  in  mid-heaven  and  looked  down  at 
them  with  red  murderous  eye.  Then,  suddenly — for 
so  it  seemed  to  the  dreamer — the  sun  fell,  enveloping 
them  with  sheets  of  awful  splendor. 

The  scene  changes.  He  is  in  a  great  city  now, 
walking  down  a  long  street  lined  with  stately  colon 
nades  ;  past  him  hurries  a  great  multitude  of  every 
nation  under  heaven — Arab  merchants,  laden  with 
their  precious  wares  ;  Egyptians,  with  their  dark  faces 
and  gay  robes  ;  Roman  soldiers,  fair-haired  Greeks, 
Syrians,  Jews,  Phoenicians,  Edomites — mingling  and 
intermingling  in  endless  confusion,  amid  a  deep,  mo 
notonous  humming  as  of  a  gigantic  swarm  of  bees. 
He  himself — so  he  fancies — is  leading  a  blind  man, 
and  with  infinite  difficulty  keeping  him  from  falling 
beneath  the  feet  of  the  reckless  crowd.  Suddenly  the 
gay  street  vanishes,  and  in  its  place  stretch  long 
vistas  of  yellow  desert.  He  is  riding  again  beneath 
the  fierce  eye  of  the  sun,  riding  swiftly  to  escape 
something  that  pursues  him  from  behind  ;  through 
long  ages,  it  seems,  he  flees  onward,  ever  faster 
and  faster.  His  mysterious  pursuer  gains  upon  him  ; 
it  is  clutching  at  him  from  behind ;  his  beast  is  falling. 
Ah,  he  is  alone  now,  staring  up  vacantly  into  the 
brazen  sky,  shut  in  on  either  side  by  walls  of  naked 
rock.  What  is  yonder  black  speck  against  the  unan- 
swering  heaven  ?  God  !  the  end  has  come  at  last ; 
but  not  this — not  this  1 


54  PAUL. 

"  Turn,  Jehovah  ! — How  long  ? — 
And  pity  thy  servants. 
Fill  us  each  morning  with  thy  love 
That  we  may  rejoice  and  be  glad  all  our  days. 
Give  us  joy  for  the  days  that  thou  hast  afflicted  us, 
The  years  we  have  known  adversity." 

The  dreamer  turned  on  his  rough  couch  and  opened 
his  eyes.  The  cool  light  of  the  early  dawn  streamed 
into  the  narrow  opening  of  the  cave,  and  rested 
like  a  benediction  from  heaven  upon  his  burning  fore 
head. 

"Thank  God!"  he  cried  aloud,  "Thank  God!" 
His  eyes  fell  upon  a  gourd  of  water  placed  within  his 
reach  ;  he  grasped  it  with  trembling  fingers  and  drank 
long  and  deep.  "Thank  God  !" 

"  I  also  thank  God  in  thy  behalf,  and  for  myself 
that  I  was  able  to  save  thee,"  said  a  grave  voice  at  his 
side.  "  But  come,  break  thy  fast  that  thou  mayest 
recover  thy  strength  more  perfectly ;  thou  art  as  yet 
weak  and  fevered." 

"  Who  art  thou  that  hast  saved  me  ?"  cried  the  other, 
trembling.  "Surely,  thou  art  Saul  of  Tarsus  !" 

"  Even  so,  and  thou  art — " 

"  Silas,  the  son  of  Ezra,  of  all  men  most  misera 
ble." 

"  Nay,  call  not  thyself  miserable,  who  livest  to  thank 
God  for  thy  life." 

"  But  I  have  sinned." 

"  Have  not  I  sinned,  who  of  late  made  havoc  of 
them  which  believed  on  the  Anointed  of  Jehovah,  pur- 


IN  THE  DESERT  OF  SINAI.  55 

suing  them  even  unto  strange  cities  in  my  fury  ?  Yet 
hath  God  had  mercy  upon  me  in  that  he  hath  revealed 
to  me  the  truth." 

"  Thou  wast  honest  in  thy  wrath  against  the  disci 
ples,"  groaned  Ben  Ezra,  "  but  I — what  canst  thou 
say  to  me  ?  I  knew  Jesus  of  Nazareth  while  he  yet 
lived,  I  saw  his  miracles,  I  heard  his  words.  Nay,  I 
was  convinced  that  he  was  the  Christ  of  God,  and  for 
a  time  I  was  numbered  with  the  disciples,  but  when 
he  was  seized  by  the  chief  priests  I  was  afraid  lest  I 
also  should  suffer.  I  fled  from  Jerusalem  till  his  death 
was  accomplished,  and  afterward  I  denied  him,  not 
twice  nor  thrice,  as  did  Peter,  but  daily — hourly.  How 
can  I  be  forgiven  when  not  content  with  denying  the 
persecuted  Christ,  I  also  denied  him  risen,  ascended, 
glorified  ?  For  all  of  these  things  were  known  unto 
me,  and  not  once  did  I  doubt  the  truth  of  them,  yet 
because  of  my  cowardice  I  even  joined  myself  with 
them  which  hated  Jesus,  and  when  persecutions  arose 
against  them  that  believed,  I  made  common  cause 
with  the  chief  priests,  insomuch  that  I  received  posi 
tion  and  advancement  at  their  hands.  For  this  cause 
also  was  I  chosen  one  of  them  who  should  accompany 
thee  to  Damascus.  Again,  I  beheld  the  glory  of  the 
Lord  when  he  appeared  unto  thee  by  the  way,  but  for 
me  he  had  no  word.  I  have  sinned  beyond  forgive 
ness.  Would  that  I  had  died  yesterday,  and  that  the 
vultures  had  devoured  my  polluted  flesh." 

"  What  wast  thou  doing  in  the  desert  alone?" 

"  I  fled  from  Damascus  beneath  the  scourge  of  an 


56  PA  UL. 

accusing  whisper  which  pursued  me  from  behind," 
groaned  Ben  Ezra,  hiding  his  face  in  his  hands. 

"  What  said  the  voice  ?" 

"  Nay,  I  know  not ;  but  it  was  death.  Why  hast 
thou  saved  me?  I  must  again  go  forth." 

Saul  was  silent  for  a  space  ;  he  put  forth  his  hand 
and  touched  the  other  upon  his  bowed  head.  "  Silas, 
son  of  Ezra,"  he  said  solemnly,  "  I  cannot  speak 
unto  thee  with  the  authority  of  a  holy  man,  bidding 
thee  put  thy  sins  behind  thy  back  and  rejoice  in  the 
Lord,  for  I  myself  have  sinned  too  grievously.  I 
came  forth  into  this  desert  place  that  here  I  might 
commune  with  the  Eternal  One  in  solitude,  for  he  hath 
showed  to  me  this  much,  that  I  am  set  apart  for  his 
service.  Now,  therefore,  I  will  withdraw  myself  into 
the  mountains  to  fast  and  pray  this  day  in  thy  behalf, 
and  I  will  entreat  the  Lord  to  reveal  his  pleasure  con 
cerning  thee.  Do  thou  remain  here  and  cease  not  to 
humble  thyself  before  him  till  I  shall  come  back  unto 
thee."  With  these  words  he  turned  away,  and  Silas 
Ben  Ezra,  remaining  behind  in  the  cleft  of  the  rock, 
heard  his  retreating  footsteps  growing  fainter  and 
fainter,  till  at  last  the  silence  of  the  desert  settled  down 
once  more  over  the  little  valley. 

All  that  day  did  Ben  Ezra  remain  upon  his  face  in 
the  shelter  of  the  cave,  but  at  evening  he  arose  and 
drank  of  the  water  and  ate  of  the  bread  which  Saul 
had  placed  ready  at  his  hand,  then  he  sat  down  in  the 
door  of  the  cave  to  wait.  When  at  length  the  first 
faint  stars  shone  in  the  depths  of  heaven  he  heard  afar 


IN  THE  DESERT  OF  SINAI.  57 

off  on  the  mountain  the  sound  of  solemn  chanting,  the 
sound  drew  nearer,  until  the  measured  words  were  dis 
tinctly  audible. 

"  With  waiting  I  waited  on  Jehovah, 
And  he  inclined  to  me  and  heard  my  cry  ; 
He  raised  me  from  a  pit  of  destruction,  from  the  miry  clay, 
And  set  my  feet  on  a  rock,  making  firm  my  steps, 
He  put  in  my  mouth  a  new  song,  praise  to  our  God." 

Like  the  song  of  an  angel  fell  the  familiar  words 
upon  the  sore  heart  of  the  listener.  He  arose  to  his 
feet  and  stretched  out  his  arms  toward  heaven. 

"  And  I — distressed  and  needy — 
The  Lord  careth  for  me  ; 
My  help  and  deliverer,  Thou, 
My  God,  tarry  not !" 

Ben  Ezra  cried  aloud  in  his  joy.  He  knew  that  he 
was  forgiven. 

The  day  following  Saul  journeyed  with  his  guest  till 
they  were  come  to  the  borders  of  the  wilderness  ;  there 
they  parted,  for  Ben  Ezra  was  minded  to  return  to 
Jerusalem. 

"  I  must  confess  my  sins  before  the  disciples,"  he 
said,  "  and  before  the  chief  priests  also,  that  I  may  wit 
ness  how  great  things  the  Lord  hath  done  for  me." 

But  Saul  returned  again  to  Sinai  that  he  might  be 
alone  with  God. 


58  PAUL. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

THE    RECLUSE    OF    CAPRAE. 

"T  MUST  see  the  emperor,  and  that  without  delay." 
A  "  Thou  art  a  madman — begone  !" 

"  Thou  shalt  pay  dearly  for  it,  if  thou  admit  me  not  ; 
'tis  a  matter  of  life  and  death,  I  tell  thee." 

"Who  art  thou?" 

"  Codrus,  the  slave  of  Agrippa ;  I  bear  his  signet 
ring  in  token  that  I  must  be  admitted  to  the  emperor's 
presence." 

The  porter  stared  suspiciously  at  the  solitary  figure, 
which  waited  below  in  the  half  darkness.  He  scratched 
his  head  reflectively.  "Who  is  with  thee?" 

"  I  am  alone  ;  canst  thou  not  see,  knave  ?" 

"  Knave,  am  I  ?"  growled  the  other.  "  I  know  thee 
not,  dog  of  a  slave ;  get  thee  gone,  or  I  shall  have 
thee  seized  and  thrust  into  the  stocks." 

"Ah,  very  well.  I  was  ordered  to  give  thee  a 
golden  cup,  but  now  I  shall  come  to-morrow,  and 
thou  wilt  receive,  instead,  a  scourging.  Farewell." 

"  Stay  yet  a  moment,  fellow  ;  how  didst  thou  pass 
the  guard  ?" 

"  By  this  token  of  the  signet,  blockhead. — I  am 
going." 

"  Nay,  I  will  open.     One  must  be  cautious,  as  thou 


THE  RECLUSE  OF  CAPRAE.  59 

knowest,  in  these  days,  or  lose  one's  breath  beneath 
the  cord.  'Tis  an  ugly  death  is  strangling — ugh  !"  He 
was  undoing  the  heavy  bolts  as  he  spoke,  and  pres 
ently  flung  open  the  door.  Codrus  stepped  in. 

"  What  is  thy  message  ?     I  will  carry  it." 

"  Thinkest  thou  that  my  master  would  have  me 
bruit  his  words  in  the  ear  of  every  slave  in  the  palace  ? 
Lead  on." 

"  Not  so  fast,  slave  of  a  Jew  ;  there  is  yet  the  inner 
guard  to  be  passed,  and  the  officers  of  the  bed-cham 
ber.  Where  is  my  cup  ?  Um — yes,  a  very  pretty 
bauble,  stolen,  I  dare  swear,  from  thy  master." 

Codrus  turned  pale  with  anger.  "  May  the  gods 
smite  thee  for  a  chattering  fool,"  he  said  violently. 
"Show  me  the  way  to  the  emperor." 

By  way  of  answer  the  porter  lifted  a  small  silver 
whistle  to  his  lips.  Two  armed  men  instantly  appeared. 

"  Here  is  a  man,"  said  the  porter,  "  who  insists  upon 
being  admitted  to  the  presence  of  the  emperor." 

"  Impossible,  at  this  hour  of  the  night,"  exclaimed 
the  centurion,  flashing  the  light  of  his  torch  full  into 
the  face  of  Codrus.  "  Return  to-morrow  at  the  proper 
time  ;  then,  if  thou  art  rightly  credited,  thou  shalt  be 
admitted." 

"  I  will  be  admitted  now,"  said  Codrus  boldly. 
"  To-morrow  will  be  too  late.  This  is  the  token  that 
my  business  is  urgent."  He  displayed  the  signet. 
The  two  soldiers  exchanged  glances  ;  they  withdrew 
to  a  little  distance  and  whispered  together  for  a  few 
moments. 


60  PAUL. 

"  Follow  me,"  commanded  the  centurion  with  an 
authoritative  gesture.  Codrus  obeyed. 

Through  long  corridors  paved  with  costly  marbles, 
past  terraced  gardens,  where  the  moonbeams  played 
brightly  on  sparkling  fountains  or  lingered  on  the  white 
beauty  of  countless  statues,  across  spaces  of  velvet 
lawn  glistening  with  dew,  went  the  three,  the  centu 
rion  leading  the  way,  Codrus  following,  while  the  third 
man  brought  up  the  rear.  Presently  the  centurion 
paused  before  a  large  doorway,  in  front  of  which  stood 
four  armed  men.  A  word  to  these  and  the  door  swung 
open,  revealing  a  large  dimly-lighted  apartment. 

"  Pass  in,"  commanded  the  centurion,  briefly. 

Codrus  trembled ;  great  beads  of  moisture  started 
out  upon  his  forehead.  He  fancied  that  he  could 
detect  a  scornful  smile  upon  the  face  of  the  soldier. 
"  What  is  this  place  ?"  he  said,  looking  about  him 
fearfully. 

"The  ante-room  of  the  emperor's  bed-chamber, 
knave,"  replied  the  centurion,  in  a  half  whisper.  "  If 
thou  hast  lied  concerning  thy  errand,  thou  art  a  dying 
man,  for  Tiberius  will  cause  thee  to  be  strangled  on 
the  spot." 

Codrus  made  no  reply ;  he  could  not,  his  tongue 
clave  to  the  roof  of  his  mouth.  He  fixed  his  eyes  on 
the  imposing  personage  who  had  advanced  to  chal 
lenge  their  presence. 

"Who  is  this  person,  and  for  what  reason  is  he 
here  ?" 

"  A  slave  belonging  to  the  Jew,  Agrippa,  and  bear- 


THE  RECLUSE  OF  CAPRAE.  61 

ing  his  signet.  He  demands  audience  with  the  em 
peror,"  replied  the  centurion.  "  I  have  brought  him 
to  thee  that  thou  mayst  judge  whether  or  not  to  admit 
him.  What  sayest  thou,  shall  I  put  him  in  guard  till 
to-morrow  ?  It  is  not  impossible  that  this  is  some  plot 
to  assassinate — " 

"  Hold  thy  peace  !"  cried  the  other,  sharply.  "Art 
thou  not  one  of  the  slaves  of  Caius  ?"  he  added,  turn 
ing  to  Codrus. 

"  I  was  formerly,  worshipful  Stephanion,"  answered 
the  slave,  who  had  regained  his  courage  by  this  time. 
"  At  present  I  am  the  property  of  Agrippa.  I  hold 
his  signet  in  token — " 

The  chamberlain  shrugged  his  shoulders  indiffer 
ently.  "  It  matters  little  what  thou  art  and  what  thy 
errand.  The  emperor  is  awake  ;  thou  shalt  enter.  It 
will  serve  to  while  away  the  hours  of  the  night."  He 
drew  aside  the  heavy  curtains  of  crimson  stuff  inter 
woven  with  silver,  which  hung  before  the  arched 
opening  at  the  end  of  the  room,  and  signed  to  Codrus 
to  enter. 

Upon  a  low  couch  of  carved  ivory,  heaped  with 
cushions,  lay  the  figure  of  a  man,  huge,  bloated,  the 
livid  face  hideously  disfigured  with  purple  blotches. 
This  much  the  slave  saw  at  a  single  glance. 

Stephanion  advanced  noiselessly  and  knelt  at  the 
foot  of  the  couch.  "A  messenger  from  the  Jewish 
prince,  Agrippa,  would  deliver  to  thee  important  tid 
ings,  divine  Tiberius.  What  is  thy  pleasure  concern 
ing  him?" 


62  PAUL. 

The  huge  bulk  stirred  with  difficulty,  the  swollen 
lips  moved.  "  Fetch  him  hither." 

"  He  is  here,  illustrious  master  of  the  world." 

Codrus  fell  on  his  knees ;  he  felt,  rather  than  saw, 
that  a  pair  of  terrible  eyes  were  fixed  upon  him. 
Again  his  tongue  refused  its  office. 

"  Speak,  slave." 

"Thy  life  is  in  danger,"  faltered  the  trembling 
wretch. 

Tiberius  laughed  harshly.  "And  does  Agrippa  send 
me  this  word  ?  By  the  gods,  'tis  a  good  word,  a  word 
of  cheer  to  send  at  midnight  to  a  man  weighed  down 
by  years  and  infirmities.  What  does  the  fellow 
mean  ?' ' 

"  Nay,  thou  dost  mistake  ;  I  will  tell  thee  all ;  it  is 
not  the  word  of  Agrippa,  but — " 

"  What  then  ?  Say  what  thou  hast  to  say  quickly. 
Thou  art  the  slave  of  Agrippa?" 

Codrus  crawled  a  little  nearer  the  couch.  "  Be 
pleased  to  look  in  mercy  upon  me,  divine  majesty,  who 
am  a  slave  owned  by  Agrippa ;  two  days  ago  I  was 
the  slave  of  Caius.  I  drove  his  chariot,  Agrippa  being 
in  his  company.  They  talked  of  many  things.  They 
spoke  the  name  Tiberius,  emperor  of  Rome.  The  Jew 
Agrippa  declared  that — but  how  can  I  speak  the  base 
words  in  thy  hearing  ?" 

"  Declare  them  instantly,  knave,  or  thou  shalt  die  !" 

"The  Jew  Agrippa  declared  that  the  illustrious 
master  of  the  universe,  the  god  of  the  whole — mercy ! 
have  mercy !" 


THE  RECLUSE  OF  CAPEAE,  63 

The  emperor  had  -thrown  the  contents  of  a  cup  of 
wine,  which  stood  at  his  elbow,  full  into  the  face  of  the 
kneeling  man.  Stephanion  smothered  a  laugh. 

"Now,  canst  thou  speak?"  growled  Tiberius,  rais 
ing  himself  unassisted  to  a  sitting  posture.  "  Thou 
hast  had  wine — royal  wine.  Speak  !" 

"Agrippa  declared  that  thou  wast  too  old  to  rule 
longer,"  muttered  Codrus  sullenly,  "  and  said  that  he 
hoped  the  time  would  not  be  long  before  a  worthier 
should  occupy  thy  room." 

"And  what  said  Caligula?"  * 

Codrus  hesitated  a  moment.  His  former  master 
was  at  his  mercy,  should  he  ruin  him  with  a  word  ? 
Nay,  he  would  even  spare  him  for  the  present.  He 
smiled  triumphantly.  "  Caius  made  him  no  answer, 
master  of  the  world." 

"  He  can  afford  to  keep  silent,  black-hearted 
wretch,"  muttered  Tiberius,  as  if  to  himself.  "  I  know 
him — I  know  him.  But  what  if  I  cause  him  to  be 
poisoned  or  sent  into  exile,  the  Romans  would  exe 
crate  my  memory.  Let  them  have  the  son  of  Ger- 
manicus  to  rule  over  them.  When  it  shall  come  to 
pass  they  will  cry  out  in  their  misery  that  Tiberius  was 
a  god,  that  his  reign  was  a  reign  of  happiness.  Ay — 
he  will  avenge  me." 

The  emperor's  great  head  had  sunken  upon  his 
breast,  his  eyes  grew  fixed  and  glassy,  a  low  gurgling 

*  Caligula  signifies  "  a  little  shoe,"  or  "  bootling."  It  was  a 
pet  name  given  to  Caius  by  the  soldiers  in  the  camp  of  his  father 
where  he  was  born,  a  name  which  clung  to  him  ever  after. 


64  PAUL. 

sound  issued  from  his  lips.  Stephanion  sprang  for 
ward  in  alarm  and  caught  him  in  his  arms.  "  Hand 
me  yonder  silver  flask !"  he  said  to  Codrus.  The 
slave  obeyed.  "  Now  chafe  his  feet — so,  while  I  bathe 
his  temples  with  wine,  ah — he  is  reviving." 

Scarcely  had  he  Uttered  the  words  before  he  was 
hurled  violently  to  the  floor.  Tiberius  had  caught  the 
last  words.  "  Reviving  !"  he  cried  in  a  terrible  voice, 
his  eyes  flaming,  "  Dog  of  a  slave,  how  often  must  I 
tell  thee  that  I  am  not  ill.  I  am  strong  enough  to 
strangle  thee.  Ay,  and  I  will  do  it  yet.  I  am  old — • 
yes,  so  also  are  the  gods.  I  am  mighty — I  am  terri 
ble.  I  am  the  lord  of  the  whole  earth."  Then  on  a 
sudden  he  sank  back  on  his  cushions,  sobbing  weakly 
like  a  sick  child. 

"  Wilt  thou  not  be  pleased  to  take  a  swallow  of  wine, 
divine  master?"  ventured  Stephanion  humbly.  "It 
may  serve  to  refresh  thee  ?" 

Tiberius  seized  the  cup  and  raised  it  to  his  lips. 
"  Pah,  it  is  not  wine,"  he  muttered,  "it  is  blood — blood. 
But  no  matter,  I  will  drink  it — blood  is  life."  He 
handed  the  empty  cup  to  Stephanion,  his  manner  once 
more  calm  and  composed.  "Send  this  slave  away. 
— Stay,  let  him  remain  in  the  palace  for  the  present. 
Call  Sejanus  hither." 

Stephanion  touched  a  silver  gong.  Instantly  a 
number  of  liveried  servants  entered  the  apartment ;  to 
these  he  repeated  the  orders  of  the  emperor  in  a  low 
voice. 

Codrus    found    himself    unceremoniously    hurried 


THE  EECLUSE  OF  CAPEAE.  65 

away.  "  Stop  !"  he  cried.  "  I  have  had  no  reward. 
I  must  ask  the  emperor  for  my  freedom." 

"  Be  thankful  that  thou  hast  faced  Tiberius  and 
live,"  answered  one  of  the  men  who  had  seized  him, 
with  a  low  laugh.  With  this  scant  comfort  he  was 
forced  to  be  content. 

Left  to  himself  in  the  slave  quarters  of  the  palace 
he  gave  vent  to  his  rage  and  disappointment.  He  tore 
his  hair  and  his  tunic ;  he  bit  at  the  wooden  bench 
upon  which  he  had  thrown  himself.  He  cursed  the 
fates,  he  cursed  Agrippa,  Caius  and  even  Tiberius  him 
self;  he  cursed  them  eating,  drinking,  sleeping,  dead 
and  wandering  on  the  hither  side  of  the  gloomy  Styx. 
He  besought  the  gods  to  torture  them,  as  he  himself 
was  tortured,  with  perpetual  chains  and  servitude.  In 
the  mad  delirium  of  his  anger  his  voice  rose  to  a  loud 
scream. 

"  May  they  lie  upon  beds  of  flame  !"  he  howled. 
"  May  they  quench  their  thirst  with  molten  brass  ! 
May  they  feed  upon  scorpions  !" 

"  Ay  !"  interrupted  a  deep  voice  from  out  the  gloom. 
"  Very  proper  and  pretty  wishes,  friend  ;  but  if  thou 
art  not  presently  silent,  thou  shalt  arrive  first  upon  the 
banks  of  the  Styx,  for  I  myself  will  immediately  choke 
thee,  and  that  as  convincingly  as  a  professional  handler 
of  the  bow-string." 

"Who  art  thou  ?"  said  Codrus,  turning  cold  in  his 
terror. 

"  I  am  Narcissus,  like  thyself,  a  slave.  With  delight 
have  I  listened  to  thy  ravings  ;  each  malediction  have 

5 


66  PA  UL. 

I  echoed ;  but  thou  hast  overstepped  the  bounds  of 
prudence  in  raising  thy  voice.  A  whispered  curse, 
good  friend,  will  reach  the  ears  of  the  furies  quite  as 
surely  as  one  shrieked  forth,  and  'tis  far  less  likely  to 
recoil  upon  the  head  of  him  that  utters  it.  Besides  all 
this,  I  am  weary  and  must  sleep,  therefore  hold  thy 
peace." 

"  I  cannot  sleep,"  answered  Codrus,  sullenly. 
"  Nay,  if  I  sleep,  let  it  be  the  sleep  that  knows  no 
awakening.  I  will  no  longer  live  a  slave." 

"  The  slave  of  to-day  may  be  the  freedman  of 
to-morrow  and  rolling  in  gold,"  replied  the  other 
oracularly.  "  Fortuna  delighteth  to  perform  such 
miracles.  Best  remain  alive  yet  a  little  while  ;  many 
things  will  happen,  and  strange  things,  too,  before  the 
year  is  out.  Moreover,  I  carry  the  keys  of  the  wine 
vaults  ;  hold  thy  peace  that  I  may  sleep,  and  to-mor 
row  thou  shalt  taste  the  emperor's  vintage." 

To  prince  Agrippa  the  light  of  morning  brought  an 
unwonted  sense  of  satisfaction.  He  lay  for  awhile 
watching  the  play  of  the  sunbeams  amid  the  silken 
draperies  of  his  couch,  then  languidly  stretching  his 
strong  limbs  he  admired  the  manly  beauty  of  their 
proportions. 

"Ha,  ha,"  he  chuckled  to  himself,  "what  a  miser 
able,  bandy-legged  specimen  of  humanity  is  our  friend 
Caius  Caligula  ;  a  surly  dog,  too.  But  I  must  flatter 
him  and  keep  him  friendly  to  me,  for,  unless  I  mis 
take,  he  will  one  day  be  master  of  the  civilized 
world.  He  will  make  me  a  king- — if  his  humor  sud- 


THE  RECLUSE  OF  CAPRAE.  67 

denly  change  not  to  a  fancy  for  strangling  or  poisoning 
me.  By  all  the  gods — if  there  be  any  gods — there  is 
no  such  thing  as  true  friendship  in  earth  or  heaven ! 
And  yet  there  is  Cypros,  poor  little  woman  " — a  touch 
of  tenderness  crept  into  his  hard  black  eyes.  "  What 
now  if  I  do  as  she  asks,  return  to  Galilee.  By  Apollo, 
I  will  do  it.  I  am  weary  of  all  this  myself,  and  as  for 
yonder  dying  brute,  Tiberius,  he  is  as  dangerous  as  a 
wounded  lion  ;  I  had  best  put  myself  out  of  reach  of 
his  claws." 

An  hour  later,  fresh  from  his  bath  and  arrayed  in 
robes  of  royal  purple,  he  sought  his  wife.  He  found 
her  in  the  garden  where  she  had  bidden  the  slaves 
prepare  breakfast. 

"  Greetings,  wife  of  mine,"  he  cried  gaily.  "  Thou 
art  as  lovely  as  Aurora  herself,  and  more  sweet  than 
the  roses  beside  thee." 

Cypros  blushed  with  pleasure.  She  did  indeed  pre 
sent  a  fair  picture  in  her  filmy  robes  of  white,  bound 
at  the  waist  with  a  girdle  of  gold  and  pearls.  Fair 
and  golden-haired  as  a  daughter  of  Greece,  her  dark 
fiery  eyes  yet  reminded  the  beholder  of  her  Idumaean 
ancestors.  The  dark  eyes  were  tender  and  loving 
now,  as  they  wandered  from  the  tiny  maiden  who  was 
clinging  to  her  robe,  to  the  face  of  her  husband. 

"Thou  wilt  breakfast  with  us,  my  lord?" 

"  I  will  breakfast  with  thee,  princess,"  replied 
Agrippa,  throwing  himself  carelessly  upon  the  marble 
bench  at  her  side.  "  And  afterward  I  will  see  the 
emperor.  If,  as  thou  hast  said,  he  will  restore  to  me 


68  PA  UL. 

the  aedileship  of  Tiberias,  I  am  minded  to  accept  it, 
though  'tis  a  beggarly  enough  place  for  a  grandson  of 
Herod  the  Great." 

"And  what  is  our  present  position?"  said  Cypros 
bitterly,  a  dark  flush  staining  her  pale  cheeks.  "  De 
pendent  on  the  bounty  of  a  man  whom  we  can  neither 
love  nor  honor." 

"  Love  and  honor  are  strange  words  to  use  on  the 
island  of  Caprae,  princess,"  said  Agrippa,  with  a 
mocking  laugh.  "  What,  love  Tiberius !  honor 
Tiberius  !" 

"  Hush — I  beg  of  thee,"  whispered  Cypros.  "  I 
heard  a  strange  sound,  a  sound  as  of  the  clash  of 
weapons." 

"  Nay,  little  one,  'tis  only  the  clink  of  silver  dishes  ; 
the  slaves  are  bringing  in  the  breakfast,  and  I  am  right 
glad  of  it,  for  truth  to  tell  I  have  an  appetite." 
Agrippa  rose  as  he  spoke  and  with  a  light  laugh 
turned  toward  the  entrance  of  the  court ;  through  the 
open  door  he  saw,  to  his  intense  astonishment,  a  qua 
ternion  of  Roman  soldiers. 

"  Fly  !"  gasped  Cypros.     "  They  will  seize  thee  !" 

"  Nay,  I  will  not  fly  ;  here  is  some  stupid  blunder." 
He  raised  his  voice  angrily.  "  What  mean  ye,  knaves, 
by  intruding  upon  our  privacy  ?  By  the  gods,  but 
some  one  shall  smart  for  this  !" 

"  In  the  name  of  the  emperor,"  said  the  centurion, 
laying  his  hand  on  the  shoulder  of  the  angry  man. 
"Soldiers,  do  your  duty." 

The  soldiers  advanced  stolidly,  the  foremost  man 


THE  RECLUSE  OF  CAPRAE.  69 

producing  an  ominous-looking  chain.  But  he  paused 
open-mouthed  as  Cypros  with  a  wild  cry  darted  for 
ward.  "What  means  this  outrage?"  she  demanded, 
fixing  her  blazing  eyes  upon  the  centurion.  "  Surely 
thou  art  out  of  thy.  senses." 

"  I  am  commanded,  princess,  to  deliver  the  body  of 
Herod  Agrippa,  prince  of  Jerusalem,  to  the  governor 
of  the  Tullianum.  I  must  do  my  duty." 

"  On  what  charge  ?  Surely  he  may  first  plead  his 
cause  before  the  emperor — the  meanest  citizen  hath  the 
right." 

"The  rights  of  his  position,  princess,  will  surely  be 
extended  to  him  ;  do  not  doubt  it.  In  the  meantime 
he  will  be  treated  with  the  well-known  clemency  and 
justice  of  the  divine  Tiberius." 

Agrippa  burst  into  a  loud  contemptuous  laugh. 
"  Tis  enough,"  he  said  with  a  shrug  of  the  shoulders  ; 
"  content  thyself,  my  princess,  with  the  glad  assurance. 
Farewell,  till  some  happier  fortune  shall  unite  us." 
Turning  to  the  centurion,  he  added,  "  Spare  me  that 
chain  in  presence  of  my  children.  I  will  go  with  thee 
without  resistance." 


70  PAUL, 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  ROSE  OF  LEBANON. 

"  \~\  T'HAT  thinkest  thou,  my  lord,  hath  become 
T  T  of  the  strange  rabbi  from  Jerusalem  who 
tarried  with  us  for  a  space  ?  The  moon  hath  waxed 
and  waned  six — nay,  seven  times — since  he  departed 
into  the  wilderness  alone."  As  she  spoke,  the  wife  of 
Ananias  was  busily  pulling  the  buds  and  young  leaves 
from  the  blossoming  rose  sprays  which  swung  from 
the  wall  above  her  head.  These  she  gathered  into  the 
skirt  of  her  robe,  and  settling  herself  upon  the  marble 
bench  at  her  husband's  side,  began  to  plait  them  into 
a  wreath. 

Ananias  looked  up  thoughtfully  from  the  scroll  of 
the  prophecies  which  he  was  studying.  "  Thou  art 
speaking  of  the  man,  Saul  of  Tarsus,"  he  said,  after  a 
pause.  "  I  have  thought  of  him  often  of  late.  He 
spoke  of  returning  to  Damascus  ;  I  have  feared  lest 
some  evil  fate  hath  overtaken  him  in  the  wilderness, 
yet  he  is  in  the  Lord's  hands,  and  the  Lord  hath  work 
for  him  to  do — even  as  it  was  revealed  to  me.  He  will 
surely  perform  it." 

"  He  may  have  gone  to  Jerusalem,"  said  the  woman, 
whose  name  was  Myra,  eying  her  garland  with  a  pleased 


THE  ROSE  OF  LEBANON.  71 

smile.  "  Look,  my  lord,  is  this  not  beautiful  ?  I  will 
crown  thee  with  it  when  it  is  finished." 

Ananias  frowned.  "  Nay,  beloved,"  he  said,  laying 
his  hand  upon  hers,  "the  weaving  of  garlands  is  a 
pastime  of  the  heathen  women  all  about  us.  Thou 
art  a  mother  in  Israel  and  shouldst  train  thy  hands  to 
soberer  tasks." 

Myra  burst  into  a  ringing  laugh.  "  Is  not  this  a 
sober  task  ?"  she  cried.  "  See,  I  have  pricked  my 
thumb.  As  for  the  heathen  women,  as  thou  callest 
them,  they  are  far  more  beautiful  and  pleasant  than 
the  Jewish  women." 

"  What  knowest  thou  of  the  godless  abandoned 
creatures  ?"  demanded  Ananias  with  some  sternness. 
"  They  are  not  fit — " 

"  Nay,  do  not  wear  that  frowning  brow,  my  lord," 
interrupted  Myra,  dropping  her  unfinished  garland. 
"  I  but  spoke  kindly  to  our  neighbor  across  the  roofs. 
She  is  fair  to  look  upon,  and  sweet-voiced  as  any 
thrush." 

"A  fair  face  and  lying  lips,  with  a  heart  full  of  all 
iniquity  and  uncleanness,"  broke  in  Ananias  harshly. 
"  Listen !  thou  shalt  not  again  speak  to  the  woman, 
she  is  an  accursed  Gentile.  Hear  and  understand,  for 
in  mine  own  house  I  will  be  obeyed." 

"  Thou  art  unkind  !  thou  dost  not  love  me  !"  cried 
Myra,  her  voice  shaking  with  sudden  passion.  "  Have 
I  not  ever  given  thee  my  obedience  ?  but  if  thou  lov- 
est  me  not,  I  will  return  to  the  house  of  my  fathers ; 
I  have  said  it." 


72  PAUL. 

Ananias  looked  up  in  sorrow  and  amaze  at  the  beau 
tiful  angry  face  before  him.  Surely  his  rose  of  Leba 
non  was  set  about  with  sharp  thorns.  After  a  long 
silence  he  spoke,  slowly  and  with  frequent  pauses. 
"There  is  no  need,  life  of  mine,  that  I  again  say  to 
thee,  I  love  thee.  Thou  knowest  that  I  love  thee — 
love  thee  as  a  pearl  of  great  price,  as  a  star  set  in  the 
blackness  of  my  sorrow,  as  a  spotless  flower  that 
blooms  in  innocence  and  grace.  Could  I  bear  to  lose 
my  pearl  ?  Could  I  see  my  star  quenched  in  eternal 
night?  Could  I  see  —  God  help  me  —  my  flower 
crushed  in  the  mire  of  the  streets  ?  Thou  art  but  a 
child  and  knowest  not  what  Damascus  is.  I  tell  thee 
it  is  more  wicked  than  Sodom,  which  the  Lord  de 
stroyed  with  fire  from  on  high  ;  it  is  abominable  with 
the  abominations  of  the  pit.  What  canst  thou  know  of 
the  shameless  worship  of  Baal  and  Astoreth,  of  their 
temples  reeking  with  blood  and  lust?  Couldst  thou 
know,  beloved,  surely  thou  wouldst  be  content  with 
the  women  of  thine  own  nation — nay,  thou  wouldst 
rejoice  because  God  hath  chosen  to  number  thee  with 
Israel — even  though  Israel  be  oppressed  and  afflicted." 

Myra  dropped  her  eyes  to  the  ground,  her  lips 
trembled.  "  But  the  woman  is  a  Greek,"  she  mur 
mured,  plucking  ruthlessly  at  the  half-finished  gar 
land.  "  Surely,  the  Greeks — " 

"  The  Greeks  are  not  better  than  the  Syrians,"  said 
Ananias,  his  brow  darkening.  "  They  are  all  alike 
idolaters,  hateful  unto  God  and  accursed.  Speak  no 
further  of  the  matter.  Thou  wilt  obey  me."  And 


THE  ROSE  OF  LEBANON.  73 

with  this  he  returned  to  the  study  of  the  prophecies, 
albeit  sadly  disquieted  in  mind. 

Turning  to  the  books  of  the  Kings  he  read  concern 
ing  the  ancient  warfare  of  his  people  against  the  Syrians, 
and  again  in  the  prophet  Isaiah  how  that  the  Lord  had 
spoken  against  Damascus  ;  and  his  heart  burned  within 
him.  "Surely,"  he  said  aloud,  "the  Lord  Jehovah 
hath  given  the  sign  even  as  it  is  written,  '  Behold  a 
virgin  shall  bear  a  son  and  shall  call  his  name  Imman- 
uel !'  Surely  the  end  is  nigh  at  hand ;  the  Gentiles 
shall  stumble  and  fall ;  their  cities  shall  be  made  deso 
late,  and  the  temples  wherein  they  defile  the  land  shall 
become  as  heaps.  Immanuel  hath  visited  his  people, 
let  Israel  rise  up  and  call  him  blessed."  The  scroll 
fell  from  the  reader's  hands,  the  memory  of  that  awful 
death  on  Calvary  flashed  before  him,  a  picture  of  un 
utterable  woe  and  ruin.  He  groaned  aloud.  "  Slain, 
slain !  the  Prince  of  peace,  the  Saviour  of  Israel,  slain 
by  the  Israel  he  came  to  save  !" 

Myra  had  stolen  away  to  her  chamber,  her  heart 
still  sore  and  defiant.  Truth  to  tell,  the  mountain 
maid  had  received  little  training  to  fit  her  for  the 
grave  responsibilities  of  a  Jewish  matron.  Nurtured 
amid  the  wild  fastnesses  of  Lebanon,  she  had  been  as 
free  and  almost  as  wild  as  the  birds  that  flitted  among 
the  branches.  The  sudden  transition  from  the  care 
less  out-of-door  life  of  a  mountain  peasant  to  the 
grave  decorous  household  of  Ananias,  had  proved 
more  trying  to  the  seventeen-year-old  Myra  than  she 
had  ever  owned  even  to  herself. 


74  PAUL. 

She  was  certainly  very,  very  happy,  she  assured 
herself.  Was  it  not  a  wonderful  thing  for  a  man  so 
great,  so  wise,  so  beautiful  as  was  her  husband,  to 
single  out  from  among  all  women  a  humble  maid  of 
the  mountains  like  herself?  And  if  that  were  not 
almost  beyond  belief,  there  was  the  little  Jesse,  a  small 
sweet  copy  of  his  father,  to  be  loved  and  played  with 
through  the  long  hours.  There  was  the  garden  also, 
and  the  house  to  be  looked  to. 

Assuredly,  there  was  nothing  more  to  ask  of  the 
good  God.  Her  cup  ran  quite  over.  And  if,  occa 
sionally,  she  longed  to  see  more  of  the  great  city  in 
which  she  lived — strange  fascinating  glimpses  of  which 
she  caught  in  her  jealously-guarded  walks  to  and  from 
worship — she  kept  it  to  herself,  or  confided  it  to  the 
safe  keeping  of  her  two-year-old  son. 

The  grave  Jewish  matrons  whom  she  met  in  the  syn 
agogue,  and  even  visited  at  discreet  intervals,  wearied 
her  with  their  perpetual  talk  of  religious  rites  and 
household  economies,  though  occasionally  they  in 
dulged  in  solemn  gossip  concerning  the  Gentile  women. 
With  bated  breath  they  told  how  the  Syrian  wives 
deceived  their  husbands,  and  beat  and  neglected  their 
children  ;  of  the  shameless  and  open  way  in  which  the 
Greek  and  Roman  ladies  went  about  in  public  without 
even  so  much  as  a  veil  over  their  painted  and  perfumed 
faces.  With  darker  whispers  of  the  mysterious  and 
dreadful  worship  going  on  night  and  day  in  the  gor 
geous  temples  and  groves  of  the  heathen  gods. 

To  all  these  things  Myra  listened  with  large  grave 


THE  ROSE  OF  LEBANON.  75 

eyes.  It  was  all  very  strange,  she  thought ;  but  not 
more  strange  than  the  story  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth, 
which  she  had  first  heard  from  her  husband's  lips. 
She  had  accepted  it  without  question  or  comment, 
because  he  had  told  her  that  it  was  true,  obediently 
adding  to  her  morning  and  evening  prayer  a  petition 
to  the  ascended  One.  Indeed,  there  were  many 
strange  things  which  were  also  true  things.  Her 
thoughts  wandered  to  the  terrible  Saul  of  Tarsus, 
struck  blind  in  an  instant  by  a  fiery  vision,  and  healed 
by  the  hand  of  her  husband.  Because  of  this  she  had 
looked  with  awe  and  curiosity  at  the  man  during  the 
days  of  his  sojourn  at  their  house.  He  was  sad  and 
silent,  she  decided,  as  well  as  dark  and  ugly  to  look 
upon,  with  never  a  smile  for  the  little  one  nor  a  word 
of  praise  for  her  excellent  housewifery.  She  was 
heartily  glad  when  he  had  departed. 

"  I  hope  that  he  will  not  come  back,  pearl  of  sons," 
she  whispered  in  the  rosy  ear  of  the  little  Jesse.  "  Thy 
father  hath  no  eyes  for  us  when  he  is  here.  Heigho, 
little  one,  the  heathen  are  merry  folk — merry,  merry 
folk.  They  laugh  and  feast,  they  wear  gay  robes  and 
jewels,  and  if  they  weave  garlands  of  roses  no  one 
chides  them,  for  they  may  fetch  them  to  their  temples 
for  offerings.  Our  God  looketh  not  upon  rose  gar 
lands.  He  is  too  great  and  wise — too  terrible  also. 
And  our  synagogue — it  is  not  beautiful,  is  it  ?  Tell 
not  thy  father,  littlest,  but  I  should  like  to  be  a  Gen 
tile,  just  for  a  little  while — a  day — a  week.  Would 
not  thou,  son  ?  Then  could  we  see  the  strange  tern- 


76  PAUL. 

pies,  all  rose  color  and  scarlet  and  blue,  with  pillars 
of  marble  set  with  gold  and  jewels,  as  beautiful  as 
heaven.  What  harm  could  it  be  ?  Nay,  thou  art 
frowning  at  thy  mother  ;  thou  art  a  man — an  Israelite. 
Go  thou  to  the  good  Rebecca ;  she  may  sing  to  thee 
a  psalm." 

The  foolish  little  mother  sprang  up  and  surveyed 
herself  in  the  quiet  pool  of  the  fountain  ;  dimpled 
cheeks,  flushed  with  the  color  of  a  ripe  pomegranate, 
long  lustrous  eyes,  veiled  with  curling  dark  lashes  and 
shaded  by  heavy  masses  of  blue-black  hair,  a  flash  of 
white  teeth  through  scarlet  lips,  such  was  the  picture 
that  smiled  back  at  her  from  the  cool  depths. 

"  Heigho  !"  she  sighed,  "  I  can  never  be  a  Gentile 
— never,  I  am  far  too  dark."  Then  she  fell  to  think 
ing  of  the  forbidden  neighbor,  of  her  pink  cheeks  and 
golden  hair,  of  the  melting  eyes  the  color  of  hyacinths, 
which  had  looked  so  innocently  into  hers.  "  She  is 
not  wicked,"  she  murmured  defiantly,  "  I  know  that 
she  is  not ;  and  how  can  I  hate  anything  so  beautiful  ? 
She  asked  me  to  come  to  her  house  to-day,  and  prom 
ised  to  show  me  her  jewels  and  dresses,  pink  and 
blue,  ah — and  silver  tissue.  If  only  I  might  see  them  ! 
Why  did  I  speak  of  her  at  all ;  my  husband  would 
not  have  known.  Nay,  I  will  go  if  only  to  tell  her 
that  I  may  not  tarry — 'tis  but  courtesy.  Afterward  I 
will  obey." 


A  FORBIDDEN  VISIT.  77 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

A  FORBIDDEN  VISIT. 

WRAPPING  herself  in  her  veil,  Myra  stole  out 
into  the  narrow  street,  and  in  another  mo 
ment  with  timorous  hand  was  pulling  the  bell-rope 
that  hung  from  the  adjoining  doorway.  A  Nubian 
slave  admitted  her ;  he  had  evidently  received  his  in 
structions,  for  at  the  first  faltering  word,  he  smiled 
broadly  and  beckoned  her  to  follow.  Myra  shrank 
back  a  little  before  the  man's  bold  gaze,  being  half- 
minded  to  slip  away  again  to  the  safe  shelter  of  home. 
As  if  reading  her  thought  the  slave  shut  and  locked 
the  door,  then  with  many  bows  and  grimaces,  which 
were  evidently  intended  to  reassure  her,  he  again  mo 
tioned  her  to  advance.  With  a  beating  heart  she  fol 
lowed  her  guide  through  a  long  dimly-lighted  passage 
way,  emerging  at  length  into  a  large  apartment,  which 
opened  directly  upon  a  terrace,  gay  with  masses  of 
brilliant  flowers.  Curtains  of  green  and  white  looped 
between  the  twisted  columns  of  colored  marble  cast 
a  cool  light  within  upon  the  broad  divans  heaped  with 
gay  embroidered  cushions,  upon  the  gorgeously-col 
ored  walls,  upon  the  carved  and  gilded  tables,  laden 
with  cups  and  vases  of  jade  and  ivory,  which  stood 
about  in  odd  nooks  and  corners. 


78  PAUL. 

The  little  Jewess  in  her  dark  robes  seemed  as  much 
out  of  place  in  the  midst  of  all  this  richness  of  color 
and  ornament  as  a  sad-colored  moth  within  the  petals 
of  a  crimson  rose.  She  stood  looking  about  her  in  a 
maze  of  bewilderment  scarcely  daring  to  move. 

"Ah,  my  little  neighbor,  thou  art  come  at  last ! 
Thou  art  welcome  even  as  the  breeze  from  yonder 
mountain." 

Myra  turned  quickly  with  an  involuntary  cry. 

"  Nay,  did  I  startle  thee,  little  one  ?"  and  her  hostess 
broke  into  a  light  ripple  of  amusement.  "  Come,  lay 
aside  thy  veil,  and  sit  by  me  on  the  divan." 

"  But  I  may  not  tarry,"  faltered  Myra,  drawing  away 
a  little  from  the  touch  of  the  white  fingers.  "  My  hus 
band—" 

"  Thy  husband  hath  forbidden  thee  ?  Yes,  it  is  so. 
I  am  a  Gentile,  and  worse  therefore  than  an  evil  spirit. 
But  tell  me,  do  I  look  like  a  devil,  little  neighbor?" 

Myra  looked  seriously  into  the  fair  smiling  face,  at 
the  soft  blue  eyes,  at  the  melting  rose  of  the  smooth 
cheeks,  at  the  rippling  waves  of  hair  gathered  under 
a  coif  of  gold  thread  set  with  pearls  ;  then  her  eyes 
wandered  to  the  strange  and  graceful  dress  which  fell 
in  long  folds  of  pale  rose-hued  tissue  about  the  slender 
figure.  She  sighed. 

"Thou  art  like — an  angel,"  she  said  slowly. 

"An  angel  ?"  said  the  Greek  woman,  "And  what  is 
an  angel,  little  neighbor?" 

Myra's  eyes  opened  widely,  "An  angel  is — Why, 
angels  dwell  in  the  heavens,  knowest  thou  not?" 


A  FORBIDDEN  VISIT.  79 

"A  goddess  then  ?  Nay,  I  have  often  been  called 
so." 

"Not  a  goddess — Oh  no,"  cried  Myra  in  horror. 
"There  is  but  one  God  in  heaven ;  there  are  no  god 
desses." 

"That  is  what  the  Jews  believe,"  said  the  Greek, 
lifting  her  eyebrows.  "  But  now  in  truth,  little 
neighbor,  hast  thou  ever  visited  the  heavens?" 

Myra  shook  her  head,  "  Wise  men  and  godly  have 
written  it  in  the  Scriptures,"  she  began,  then  she 
paused  and  twisted  the  corner  of  her  mantle  into  a 
little  knot.  "Also  Jesus,  the  Christ,  hath  declared  it. 
He  came  down  from  heaven  and  therefore  he  knows," 
she  finished  triumphantly. 

"Who  is  Jesus?" 

"  He  was  the  son  of  David — the  Messiah." 

"And  what  may  that  be  ?" 

"The  King — to  deliver  Israel." 

"Ah,  yes,"  murmured  the  lady,  indolently  twist 
ing  the  jewels  on  her  white  fingers.  "  Where  is  he 
now?" 

"They  killed  him — crucified  him,  because  he  was 
so  good,  so  wonderful,  healing  the  sick,  opening  the 
eyes  of  the  blind,  and  even  raising  the  dead  to  life." 

"  But  I  do  not  understand,  little  one ;  who  killed 
him?" 

"The  Romans — yes,  and  the  chief  priests  of  the 
Jews,  who  hated  him." 

"  Hated  their  king — and  killed  him  !  Nay,  that 
was  folly  ;  now  he  cannot  deliver  them." 


80  PAUL. 

"  My  husband  says  that  he  will  save  us  from  our 
sins." 

"  But  he  is  dead,  saidst  thou  ?" 

"  He  became  alive  again  and  went  up  into  the 
heavens." 

"And  dost  thou  believe  this  tale,  little  neighbor?" 
said  the  Greek  lady,  admiring  her  perfectly  moulded 
foot  in  its  jeweled  sandal.  "  Why  is  it  better  than  the 
stories  of  Jove  and  of  Venus,  of  Minerva — the  good 
and  wise  goddess,  of  Apollo,  of  Mercury,  and — " 

"They  are  heathen  gods,"  cried  Myra.  "It  is  a 
sin  even  to  speak  of  them !" 

The  Greek  shrugged  her  fair  shoulders.  "  Dost 
thou  pray  to  this  crucified  man,  who  became  alive 
again  and  went  up  into  heaven  ?"  she  asked,  a  mock 
ing  smile  curling  the  corners  of  her  lips. 

"Assuredly,  thrice  every  day,"  responded  Myra, 
with  fervor. 

"  Then  thou  hast  two  gods  in  the  heavens  ;  and  but 
now  thou  didst  declare — " 

"  Nay,  there  is  but  one  God,"  declared  Myra,  posi 
tively.  "  I — I  cannot  tell  thee  how  it  is,"  she  added 
confusedly.  "  I  am  not  wise  and  holy,  like  my  hus 
band."  At  the  thought  of  her  husband  she  sprang 
up  from  the  divan.  "  I  must  not  stay  longer,  my  hus 
band  will — " 

"  He  will  not  beat  thee,  child — though  stay,  I  am 
not  so  sure  of  that.  Will  he  beat  thee,  thinkest  thou  ?" 

"  Beat  me  !  Ah,  no,"  said  Myra,  with  a  little  smile 
and  sigh ;  "he  loves  me  far  too  well  for  that,  but  he 


A  FORBIDDEN  VISIT.  81 

will  be  displeased  and  sorrowful  because  I  have  done 
that  he  forbade." 

"  He  will  not  know,  child,  if  thou  hast  thy  wits 
about  thee.  Now  for  myself  I  do  not  carry  my  heart 
in  my  hand,  and  bring  it  to  my  lord  and  say,  '  Look 
thou,  my  master,  here  is  my  heart,  doth  it  please  thee  ?' 
Then,  if  he  be  displeased  with  aught  that  he  sees  there, 
sit  me  down  to  weep  and  bemoan  myself.  What  know 
I  of  his  life  ?  I  am  but  a  fair  plaything — a  beautiful 
image  on  which  to  hang  soft  tissues  and  sparkling 
jewels ;  there  are  a  thousand  more  fair  to  be  had  for 
the  asking." 

"Then  thou  dost  not  love  him?"  cried  Myra,  a 
world  of  pity  in  her  dark  eyes. 

"Love?"  echoed  the  lady  with  a  light  laugh  of 
scorn.  "What  is  love? — But  come,  we  grow  very 
dull,  and  Diana  knoweth  when  I  shall  again  behold  a 
human  being  other  than  a  slave. — I  am  alone  here," 
she  added  in  response  to  the  inquiring  look  in  the  eyes 
of  her  guest.  "  My  husband  is  in  Greece,  and  when 
he  is  absent  I  am  kept  like  a  prisoner  by  yonder  black 
wretch  who  admitted  thee.  Thou  shalt  taste  my  con 
serve  of  rose  leaves,  if  it  please  thee ;  afterward  I  will 
showthee  my  jewels."  She  clapped  her  hands, 
instantly  the  heavy  curtains  parted  to  admit  several 
female  slaves  laden  with  silver  dishes  containing  vari 
ous  cakes  and  sweetmeats,  together  with  tall  crystal 
flasks  of  yellow  Chian  wine. 

Myra  flushed  scarlet,  a  confused  remembrance  of 
Pharisaical  laws  and  rabbinical  precepts  suddenly  over- 

6 


82  PAUL: 

whelmed  her.  "Thou  shalt  not  eat — unclean — pol 
luted — accursed  !"  sounded  the  voice  of  her  accusing 
conscience.  She  drew  back  and  motioned  away  the 
tempting  dish  which  her  hostess  was  pressing  upon 
her.  "  I — cannot,"  she  said  faintly,  "  I  have  already 
sinned,  but — " 

"  Wilt  thou  not  eat  with  me  ?"  said  the  Greek,  flush 
ing  in  her  turn.  "  Nay,  we  live  under  the  same  sky, 
breathe  the  same  air,  drink  and  eat  the  fruits  of  the 
same  earth,  but  thou  art  blessed  and  I  am  accursed. 
Know  then  that  my  people  also  despise  the  Jews,  and 
yet — I  could  have  loved  thee." 

Myra's  warm  heart  was  touched.  "  I  will  eat  with 
thee,"  she  said  stoutly.  "  Afterward — well,  I  care  not 
for  the  rabbis — except  my  husband."  And  she  tossed 
her  head  defiantly. 

Her  companion  leaned  forward  and  laid  her  white 
jeweled  fingers  caressingly  on  the  little  brown  hand 
of  the  Jewess.  This  time  there  was  no  shrinking 
from  her  touch.  "  Because  thou  hast  done  this  thing 
for  me,"  she  said  softly,  "  I  will  go  with  thee  to  the 
temple  of  thy  God,  and  fetch  an  offering,  and  who 
knows  but  that  I  may  also  believe  on  him ;  I  would 
fain  believe  something — I  am  weary  of  unbelief." 

Myra's  face  grew  bright.  There  were  many  Greek 
and  even  Syrian  women  who  attended  the  worship  at 
the  synagogue.  They  were  called  proselytes,  and 
although  they  were  regarded  with  but  scant  favor  by 
the  native  Jews,  still  they  were  numbered  with  Israel 
and  were  believed  to  be  looked  upon  with  toleration 


A  FORBIDDEN  VISIT.  83 

by  Jehovah.  "  Then  thou  wilt  no  longer  be  accursed," 
she  cried  joyfully,  "  and  I  may  see  thee  without 
fear." 

She  thought  almost  with  pleasure  of  the  confession 
she  must  make  to  her  husband.  "  He  can  scarce  be 
angry  with  me,"  she  said  within  herself,  "if  I  have 
saved  a  soul  from  death." 

"  It  will  be  very  pleasant  to  be  no  longer  accursed," 
remarked  the  Greek  lady,  lowering  her  eyelids  with  an 
inscrutable  smile.  "  But  before  I  shall  become  one 
of  the  chosen,  I  must  even  pay  one  vow  at  the  shrine 
of  Diana.  Thou  shalt  go  with  me  ;  'tis  but  to  drop  a 
garland  of  roses  at  the  feet  of  the  goddess,  and  to 
give  a  silver  lamp  which  I  have  ordered  fashioned  into 
the  hand  of  the  priest.  See,  here  it  is  ;  a  pretty  trifle, 
is  it  not?" 

Myra  looked  with  a  certain  awe  at  the  mysterious 
figures  which  adorned  the  rim  of  the  bowl.  "  Is  the 
temple  very  beautiful?"  she  asked  timidly. 

"Very,  very  beautiful,"  replied  the  other,  her  eyes 
kindling.  "  White  marble  without,  as  white  as  snow  ; 
within  the  columns  are  veined  with  green  and  rose ; 
then  there  is  the  statue  of  the  goddess,  ivory  overlaid 
with  gold.  But  surely  thou  hast  seen  it?" 

"  Never,"  said  Myra  sadly.  "  It  is  a  sin  for  us  to 
look  upon  a  heathen  temple,  much  less  to  enter  one. 
One  must  lift  one's  eyes  to  the  heavens  and  repeat  the 
Kadish  often  in  Damascus." 

"There  is  a  vulgar  saying  among  my  people,"  said 
the  Greek,  a  merry  light  dancing  in  her  blue  eyes, 


84  PA  UL. 

"  that  a  thief  might  as  well  die  for  a  bullock  as  fora 
calf;  thou  hast  already  eaten  bread  with  a  heathen, 
now  come  and  behold  the  glories  of  a  heathen  god 
dess.  Thou  shalt  return  anon  and  purify  thyself 
according  to  thy  law,  and  all  will  be  well  with  thee." 

"  I  should  like  to  see  it,"  acknowledged  Myra  hesi 
tatingly.  "And  after  all,  what  harm — " 

"What  harm  indeed?"  broke  in  the  other  trium 
phantly.  "  Eglah,  my  mantle  and  veil ;  Rissah,  com 
mand  my  litter  to  be  brought." 

Within  the  hour  Myra  had  looked  wonderingly 
upon  the  glories  of  the  Greek  temple.  She  had 
shrunken  back  a  little  and  drawn  her  mantle  more 
closely  about  her  face  when  her  companion  paused 
before  the  shrine  of  the  goddess,  and  she  had  closed 
her  ears  resolutely  to  the  chanting  of  the  white-robed 
priests,  but  now  they  were  in  the  open  air  once  more 
and  she  drew  a  long  breath  of  delight.  The  slow 
motion  of  the  litter  borne  by  four  slaves,  the  stolen 
glimpses  of  the  gay  streets  through  the  fluttering 
silken  curtains  seemed  to  intoxicate  her.  She  laughed 
aloud. 

Her  companion,  who  was  attentively  watching  the 
flushed  sparkling  face,  sighed  and  then  smiled.  "Was 
it  so  very  evil,  daughter  of  Abraham?"  she  asked. 

"  It  is  an  evil  thing  to  pray  to  an  image,"  said  Myra 
unhesitatingly. 

"But  suppose  I  did  not  pray  to  the  image  at  all, 
little  neighbor,  only  to  the  goddess  herself,  of  whom 
the  image  is  but  a  token  and  visible  sign." 


A  FORBIDDEN  VISIT.  85 

"  But  there  is  no  goddess,"  persisted  Myra.  "As 
for  the  image,  the  commandment  of  Moses  says, 
'  Thou  shalt  not  make  unto  thee  any  graven  image  of 
anything,  either  in  heaven  above  or  in  the  earth  be 
neath,  or  in  the  waters  under  the  earth.'  ' 

"  What !  no  pictures  ?  no  statues  ?  Nay,  but  this 
Moses  is  too  hard — too  severe  ;  one  must  have  beauty. 
But  holy  immortals  !  what  is  this  ;  is  it  that  the  furies 
are  let  loose?" 

A  wild  clamor  of  shouts  and  fierce  yells  mingled 
with  the  shrill  screaming  of  women  and  the  wails  of 
children  broke  harshly  upon  their  ears.  At  the  same 
instant  the  litter  came  to  an  abrupt  standstill.  The 
lady  drew  aside  the  curtains  and  leaned  out.  "  Pro 
ceed  !"  she  cried  angrily  to  the  bearers,  "what  mean 
you  by  stopping  here?" 

"  It  is  impossible  to  proceed,  my  lady,"  said  the 
Nubian  slave  who  walked  beside  the  litter.  "We 
must  wait  till  the  god  has  passed." 

"What  god?" 

"  The  god  Baal ;  to-day  is  the  Feast  of  Torches. 
Draw  the  curtains  closely,  and  there  is  no  danger." 

"  Diana  and  all  the  immortals  defend  us  !"  mur 
mured  the  Greek  under  her  breath.  Then  she  glanced 
apprehensively  at  her  companion.  The  Jewess  was 
peering  out  from  betwixt  the  silken  curtains  with  a 
look  of  childish  curiosity. 

"Look!"  she  cried,  "See  the  children  wreathed  with 
roses  ;  are  they  not  beautiful  ?  But  why  do  they  look 
so  frightened?  And  the  woman  yonder  is  weeping." 


86  PAUL. 

"  They  will  make  them  pass  through  the  fire  to  their 
god,"  answered  the  other  coldly,  "  'tis  a  part  of  their 
worship.  I  saw  it  once  ;  I  do  not  wish  to  see  it  again. 
But  hush,  the  god  is  near  at  hand." 

Myra  trembled,  the  scarlet  flush  faded  from  her 
round  cheeks.  "  I — I  am  frightened,"  she  faltered. 
"  I  want  to  go  home.  I  must  go  home,"  she  repeated, 
her  eyes  brimming  over  with  large  tears. 

The  white  fingers  of  the  Greek  closed  like  a  vise 
upon  her  arm.  "  Fool !"  she  whispered.  "  Be  quiet, 
or  we  are  lost." 

The  words  were  drowned  in  the  horrid  tumult  of 
sounds  that  now  broke  forth,  the  clash  of  cymbals,  the 
harsh  braying  of  trumpets  mingled  with  the  beating 
of  a  thousand  palms,  while  a  thousand  wild  voices 
shrieked,  "  Baal !  Baal ! — bow  the  knee  to  Baal !" 

The  litter  shook  violently  as  the  crowd  surged  back 
against  it,  then  with  a  sudden  sound  of  rending  silk 
the  daylight  flared  in,  followed  by  a  rough  towsled 
head. 

"  By  the  shrine  of  Ashtoreth  !"  cried  a  voice,  "  here 
are  two  fair  ones,  who  have  veiled  their  beauty  from 
the  light  of  day,  but  they  shall  come  forth  and  bow  the 
knee  to  Baal — to  whom  belongeth  all  beauty  and  ex 
cellence." 

"  Dog !"  cried  the  Nubian,  felling  him  to  the  earth. 
Then  he  seized  his  mistress  by  the  arm.  "  Come, 
there  is  no  time  to  lose.  There  are  five  of  us — we 
can  save  you." 

Instinctively    Myra   had   thrown    herself   into   the 


A  FORBIDDEN  VISIT,  87 

crowd  from  the  opposite  side,  and  not  a  moment  too 
soon,  for  the  litter  torn  from  the  shoulders  of  the 
bearers  was  instantly  trampled  into  a  shapeless  mass 
beneath  the  feet  of  the  mad  multitude. 

"Baal!  Baal!  Bow  the  knee  to  Baal!"  shrilled 
the  rabble  of  yellow-robed  priests,  and  with  loud  an 
swering  cries  the  great  struggling  mass  of  men,  women, 
and  children  sank  to  their  knees,  all  save  Myra,  who 
stood  looking  about  her  with  a  vacant  glassy  stare, 
like  one  who  dreams  a  frightful  dream  and  strives  in 
vain  to  awaken. 


88  PAUL. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

IN    THE   TEMPLE    OF    BAAL. 

NEEL,  woman,  kneel !"  whispered  a  voice  in 
her  ear,  at  the  same  time  a  powerful  hand 
upon  her  shoulder  forced  her  down  to  the  ground. 

Myra  was  not  a  coward  ;  she  neither  struggled  nor 
cried  out.  For  perhaps  the  first  time  in  her  short  life 
she  really  prayed.  Her  eyes  were  fixed  upon  the 
monstrous  figure  of  the  idol  beneath  its  canopy  of 
scarlet  and  gold,  yet  she  did  not  see  it.  "  My  God  !" 
she  murmured,  clasping  her  hands  in  an  agony  of 
supplication,  "  I  have  sinned,  but  forsake  me  not; help 
me,  who  am  helpless  !  Restore  me  for  I  am  lost." 

"  Come  now,  pretty  one,"  continued  the  harsh  voice 
still  in  a  half  whisper,  "  that  is  better,  thou  hast  prayed 
to  the  god  ;  now  shalt  thou  learn  still  further  how  to 
do  his  pleasure." 

Myra  turned  her  head  and  looked  at  the  speaker 
who  still  grasped  her  firmly  by  the  shoulder ;  to  her 
great  relief  she  perceived  that  her  captor  was  a  woman, 
old,  bent,  and  shriveled. 

"  I  must  go  home,  good  mother,"  she  said.  "  I 
pray  thee  to  release  me  ;  the  idol  has  passed  and  the 
crowd  is  moving  on." 

*'I  must  go  home,  good  mother!"  said  the  crone 


IN  THE  TEMPLE  OF  BAAL.  89 

mockingly.  "  Hi — yes,  that  is  a  comely  speech  as 
thou  art  a  comely  wench.  Know  that  I  am  a  mother 
of  devils,  girl,  thou  shalt  be  my  daughter."  Her  tone 
changed  to  a  coaxing  whine,  "  Come,  come,  pretty 
one,  do  not  shrink  from  me,  I  was  once  beautiful  even 
as  thou  art.  Dost  thou  know  that  I  saved  thee  from 
death  a  moment  since?  The  priests  of  Melkarth 
would  have  slain  thee,  Jewess,  where  thou  wert  stand 
ing." 

"I — I  am  beholden  to  thee,"  stammered  Myra 
trembling,  "  if  thou  wilt  come  home  with  me  I  will 
give  thee — " 

"Gold?"  broke  in  the  old  woman  eagerly.  "Wilt 
thou  give  me  gold  ?" 

"  I  will  give  thee  my  necklace,"  said  Myra,  turning 
away  her  face  from  the  hot  fetid  breath,  which  was 
like,  she  thought,  to  the  breath  of  a  wild  beast. 

"  Thy  necklace  ?  Yes,  I  see  it.  Well,  that  is  mine 
already.  I  must  have  gold ;  hast  thou  gold  at  thy 
house?" 

Myra  burst  into  tears.  "  Let  me  go,"  she  cried 
desperately,  "thou  art  hurting  my  arm." 

The  old  woman  laughed  silently  by  way  of  answer ; 
she  tightened  the  grasp  of  her  muscular  bony  ringers. 
"  Gold,"  she  mumbled.  "  But  yes — I  know  how  to 
get  it.  Come,  thou  shalt  go  with  me  to  the  temple, 
there  will  be  merry  sights  there  to-night — merry, 
merry  sights.  Thou  shalt  see  them,  Jewess  ;  dost 
thou  hear  me?" 

Myra's   heart  sank ;    she  remembered   her  foolish 


90  PAUL. 

wish  of  the  morning.  "  Dear  good  Jesus,"  she  mur 
mured,  "  wilt  thou  not  hear  me  ?  I  have  sinned,  but 
do  thou  forgive  me,  and  restore  me  to  my  husband 
and  my  babe —  Oh,  my  little  babe.  Have  pity  on 
me,  thou  who  wert  crucified.  Never  again  will  I  dis 
obey  ;  never  again  will  I  weave  rose  garlands,  nor  speak 
to  a  Gentile.  I  promise  thee." 

In  her  wild  terror  she  scarcely  noticed  that  the  old 
woman  was  dragging  her  forward  as  briskly  as  the 
throng  permitted.  No  one  appeared  to  notice  them. 
Myra  looked  from  one  to  another  of  the  wild  brutal 
faces  that  surrounded  them,  and  her  heart  sank  lower 
still.  The  tumult  increased  moment  by  moment,  so 
likewise  did  the  heat  and  the  pressure  of  the  multi 
tude.  She  reeled,  a  mist  gathered  before  her  eyes, 
she  would  have  fallen  but  for  the  old  woman  who 
promply  thrust  a  wine-flask  to  her  lips. 

"Drink." 

"I  cannot,"  faltered  Myra  faintly,  "it  is  unclean." 

"Unclean  !"  screamed  the  hag  with  a  frightful  im 
precation.  "  Drink,  or  I  leave  thee  to  be  trampled  by 
the  crowd !" 

At  that  moment  Myra  remembered  her  husband's 
words  :  "  Could  I  bear — God  help  me,  to  see  my  flower 
crushed  in  the  mire  of  the  streets  ?"  His  pale  seri 
ous  face  seemed  to  rise  before  her,  the  large  loving 
eyes  full  of  tears.  With  the  vision  came  a  sudden 
mysterious  strength.  I  must  save  myself  for  his 
sake,  she  resolved.  "  I  do  not  need  the  wine,"  she 
said  aloud  firmly.  "  I  am  quite  strong  now." 


IN  THE  TEMPLE  OF  BAAL.  91 

"  Hi — i,  my  pretty  dove,  thou  art  thinking  that 
presently  thou  wilt  plume  thy  wings  in  flight,"  snarled 
the  old  woman  with  a  suspicious  look  ;  "  but  thou  art 
mine — a  gift  of  Baal ;  thou  shalt  not  escape  me.  Now 
look  you,  we  have  reached  the  temple  enclosure,  pre 
sently  we  shall  see  some  merry  sights,  as  I  have  said ; 
if  again  I  say  to  thee,  drink,  then  do  thou  drink  from 
my  flask,  for  this  is  no  place  for  swoonings." 

"  I  shall  not  swoon,"  answered  Myra  steadily.  It 
is  my  punishment,  she  was  thinking,  I  wished  to 
see  these  things,  now  I  must  see  them.  She  looked 
about  her  with  a  shudder.  Twilight  was  already 
gathering,  and  the  vast  columned  court  in  which  they 
were  standing  twinkled  with  countless  lights.  Away 
at  the  further  end  of  the  enclosure  she  could  dimly 
see  the  colossal  image  of  the  god,  and  the  lofty  altar 
set  with  flaring  torches.  Above  in  the  infinite  spaces  of 
the  tranquil  heavens  shone  the  first  faint  stars  of  evening. 

"We  are  too  far  away,"  grumbled  the  old  woman. 
"We  cannot  smell  the  sacrifices  from  here.  Come  !" 
And  without  relaxing  her  hold  on  Myra's  arm  she 
again  began  to  elbow  her  way  through  the  multitude. 

The  altar  stood  in  the  midst  of  a  large  open  space 
floored  with  beaten  earth,  from  which,  Myra  observed, 
the  surrounding  throng  of  worshipers  shrank  back 
with  manifest  tokens  of  fear.  Into  this  place,  issuing 
it  seemed  from  beneath  the  shrine  itself,  there  streamed 
a  long  line  of  priests.  With  low  monotonous  chant 
ing  they  paced  slowly  backward  and  forward,  bowing 
at  intervals  before  the  hideous  image  which  towered 


92  PAUL. 

above  them.  Presently  their  pace  quickened  almost 
to  a  run  ;  the  chanting  grew  louder ;  they  had  formed 
a  double  circle  now  about  the  shrine,  the  circles 
revolving  in  opposite  directions,  and  with  inconceivable 
velocity.  After  a  time  these  circles  resolved  them 
selves  into  a  wild  and  seemingly  meaningless  maze, 
yet  in  some  mysterious  manner  a  great  heap  of  faggots, 
laid  in  regular  order,  was  growing  upon  the  altar. 

"  Ha !  there  will  be  fire  in  abundance  to-night," 
chuckled  the  crone.  She  gave  vent  to  an  eldritch 
shriek ;  it  was  echoed  by  a  thousand  shrill  voices 
throughout  the  enclosure,  a  wild  inarticulate  wailing 
cry  that  seemed  to  pierce  to  the  distant  stars,  dying 
away  into  silence  as  the  mad  whirl  about  the  altar 
suddenly  ceased. 

After  a  long  pause  one  of  the  priests  advanced  and 
seizing  a  torch  applied  it  to  the  heaped-up  faggots  ;  in 
stantly  a  great  billow  of  flame  darted  upward,  the  red 
light  casting  a  hideously  life-like  glow  upon  the  dark 
grinning  visage  of  the  idol.  "  Baal  !  Baal  !"  shrieked 
the  multitude,  "  god  of  fire  !  god  of  light !" 

Again  there  was  silence,  broken  this  time  by  a 
sound  of  sweet  treble  voices  singing  somewhere  at  a 
distance  ;  the  sound  drew  nearer,  till  presently  from 
the  same  hidden  door  from  which  the  priests  had 
issued  there  came  a  procession  of  children,  their  naked 
bodies  wreathed  with  flowers,  their  heads  bound  with 
golden  fillets.  Round  and  round  the  altar  they 
marched,  the  dancing  fire-light  gleaming  on  silken 
curls  and  satin-smooth  dimpled  limbs. 


IN  THE  TEMPLE  OF  BAAL.  93 

"  How  beautiful !"  cried  Myra  involuntarily,  half  for 
getting  where  she  was. 

"  Beautiful — yes,"  snarled  the  old  woman.  "  But 
they  will  tread  a  brisker  measure  before  many  mo 
ments." 

Myra  trembled  at  the  old  woman's  tone  and  gesture. 
"  What  will  they  do  with  them  ?"  she  asked,  remem 
bering  with  sudden  horror  the  words  of  the  Greek 
lady. 

"Art  thou  also  impatient  for  the  sacrifice?"  said  the 
crone,  showing  her  long  yellow  fangs ;  "  the  god 
hath  waited  this  hour  through  the  long  year  ;  it  ill  be- 
cometh  a  mortal  to  chafe  while  Baal  waits  unmoved. 
See  the  pretty  dears  how  daintily  they  trip  it,  they 
have  been  promised  sugar  cakes  and  honey  wine,  to 
gether  with  a  gold  coin,  if  they  shall  please  the  god 
this  night.  Ay  !  there  is  never  a  lack  of  the  lambs  on 
any  year,  Baal  be  praised  !" 

Round  and  round,  faster  and  faster  flew  the  children 
in  obedience  to  the  wild  gestures  of  the  priests,  the 
leaping  flames  rising  and  sinking  fitfully,  till  at  last 
they  drowsed  with  a  low  purring  sound  upon  a  bed  of 
glowing  scarlet.  The  feet  of  the  little  dancers  were 
lagging  now,  and  the  curly  heads  drooped  piteously 
in  the  fierce  heat.  One  by  one  the  brave  sweet  voices 
died  away  into  silence,  still  the  priests  urged  them  on 
with  loud  imperative  cries.  From  somewhere  out  of 
the  throng  sounded  a  woman's  low  wail,  but  it  was 
instantly  drowned  in  the  noisy  beating  of  thousands  of 
palms. 


94  PAUL. 

"The  god  waits!"  cried  the  old  woman,  dancing 
up  and  down,  "Shall  he  wait  in  vain?" 

"  The  god  waits  !"  echoed  the  multitude  with  a  vast 
discordant  roar. 

Two  priests  darted  forward,  armed  with  brazen 
shovels. 

"  The  fire  !  the  fire  !  Praise  be  to  Baal,  the  fire  at 
last!" 

The  priests  hastily  spread  the  glowing  coals  in  a 
thick  bed  directly  in  the  path  of  the  dancing  children. 

"Ay !  sugar  cakes  and  honey  wine — and  gold,  red 
gold,  see  it  gleaming  before  thee  !  Now  dance  my 
pretty  ones,  dance !"  shrieked  the  hag  in  an  ecstacy. 

The  children  drew  back  with  loud  frightened  cries  ; 
but  now  the  watching  priests  sprang  up  and  the  gleam 
of  a  hundred  knives  flashed  in  the  ruddy  glow. 

"  Dance,  my  lambs,  dance  to  the  god  !"  screamed 
the  old  woman  madly,  "  So  danced  my  pretty  ones  to 
their  rest  long  years  ago.  Ay !  thou  shalt  dance !" 
And  relaxing  her  hold  on  Myra's  arm  she  darted  into 
the  sacred  enclosure. 

Myra  stood  as  if  turned  to  stone  staring  at  the  hor 
rible  sight  before  he'r.     Before  the  angry  priests  could 
seize  the  intruder,  the  flames  from  the  waiting  fire  leapt 
up  and  enfolded  the  gaunt  figure  with  a  scarlet  shroud. 
"The  god  hath  chosen!     The  god  hath  chosen!" 
shrilled  a  woman's  voice.     "The  children  are  saved !" 
Then  Myra  turned  and  fled  away  through  the  crowd, 
the  shrieks  of  the  dying  woman  echoing  in  her  ears. 
The  veil  was  torn  from  her  face,  but  she  knew  it  not ; 


IN  THE  TEMPLE  OF  BAAL.  95 

mad  with  horror,  she  eluded  the  hands  outstretched 
to  grasp  her,  neither  hearing  nor  heeding  the  hellish 
tumult  which  pursued  hard  after  her. 

"  My  God  !"  she  cried  aloud,  "  My  God — my  God  !" 
And  faster  and  ever  faster  she  fled  on  through  the 
darkness,  led  by  that  mysterious  something  which  we 
mortals  call  instinct ;  a  something,  we  say  grandly, 
which  serves  the  lower  creation  in  the  place  of  the 
God-like  reason  which  is  denied  them.  A  something 
which  is  perhaps  both  below  and  above  reason,  fit 
attribute  for  beast  or  angel,  but  which  God  grants  in 
its  fullness  only  to  the  most  helpless  of  his  creatures. 
Straight  as  a  homing  pigeon  to  its  mate,  so  fled  this 
wandering  one  through  the  black  night  into  the  heaven 
of  home. 


96  PAUL. 


CHAPTER    X. 

THE    PHYSICIAN    AND    THE    EMPEROR. 

THE  physician  Charicles  stood  near  the  large 
open  window  of  his  library,  his  hands  folded 
behind  him.  He  was  apparently  intent  upon  the  scene 
without,  and  indeed  a  wiser  than  he  might  look  again 
and  yet  again  from  that  lofty  window  with  both  plea 
sure  and  profit,  for  in  a  manner  the  kingdoms  of  the 
world  and  the  glories  of  them  lay  spread  out  before 
him.  Rome,  the  undying  city,  in  the  full  strength  of 
her  mighty  youth,  gleaming  with  palaces,  temples  and 
statues,  her  yellow  Tiber  shining  like  a  veritable  river 
of  gold  in  the  clear  morning  sunlight,  Rome  sat  like 
a  throned  queen  upon  her  seven  hills,  inviting  the 
homage  of  the  gazer. 

But  Charicles  was  not  looking  at  the  haughty  mis 
tress  of  nations  ;  his  eyes  were  fixed  upon  a  spider's 
web  which  hung  from  a  coping  not  ten  feet  from  his 
window,  the  owner  and  maker  of  which,  equally 
indifferent  to  the  grandeur  of  the  imperial  city,  was 
casting  line  upon  line  of  his  filmy  thread  about  the 
body  of  a  fly.  The  luckless  insect  struggled  valiantly, 
and  the  physician  stretched  forth  his  hand  as  if  half 
minded  to  release  it,  then  he  gave  vent  to  a  short 
laugh. 


THE  PHYSICIAN  AND  THE  EMPEROR.  97 

"  Nay,  if  I  save  the  fly,"  he  said  aloud,  "  I  shall 
ruin  the  domicile  of  the  industrious  spider,  besides 
depriving  him  of  his  morning  meal :  moreover,  the  fly 
will  have  derived  no  wisdom  from  his  experience  which 
will  serve  to  keep  him  from  to-morrow's  web ;  also  he 
must  in  any  event  perish  soon,  therefore  let  him  die 
now.  In  like  manner  do  the  Fates  watch  unhappy 
mortals  entangled  in  the  web  of  life ;  in  like  manner 
also  is  the  prosperous  spider  spared  and  the  foolish  fly 
devoured,  and  so  doth  death  and  oblivion  sweep  away 
all."  With  a  single  motion  of  his  hand  he  destroyed 
the  web. 

"  I  am  called  the  wise  Charicles,"  he  continued, 
turning  away  from  the  window  with  a  sigh,  "  yet  I 
know  little  more  than  yonder  insect  concerning  these 
wondrous  human  bodies  which  I  profess  to  understand. 
Understand  ? — Who  then  can  understand  the  fountain 
of  the  heart,  the  rivers  of  the  blood,  the  mysterious 
alchemy  which  takes  of  dead  flesh  and  transmutes  it 
into  living  flesh  ;  the  eye,  that  globe  of  living  fire,  set 
in  a  cavern  of  bone  which  defies -corruption.  Nay,  these 
things  are  too  wonderful  for  me,  and  there  is  no  voice 
that  explains  in  all  the  empty  heavens.  Man  is  a 
question  to  which  their  seems  to  be  no  answer,  and  yet 
some  unseen  power  compels  us  to  labor  as  beneath 
the  lash  to  solve  the  problem." 

Seating  himself  at  his  table  he  began  to  make  dili 
gent  study  of  a  portion  of  human  vertebrae,  stopping 
from  time  to  time  to  add  a  line  to  the  closely -written 
parchment  which  lay  before  him. 

7 


98  PAUL. 

His  labors  were  presently  interrupted  by  his  favorite 
slave,  who  with  many  apologies  announced  a  visitor. 

"  Have  I  not  told  thee,  knave,  that  I  must  not  be 
disturbed  by  visitors  during  the  morning  hours? 
Nay,  I  am  too  merciful,  I  should  command  thee  to  be 
tortured  once  for  disobedience." 

"But  a  messenger  from  the  emperor,  my  good 
lord,"  began  the  slave  cringing. 

"  Why  didst  thou  not  say  so  at  once,  fool.  Admit 
him  instantly.  Ha,  'tis  the  praetorian  prefect.  Greet 
ings,  my  lord  ;  I  trust  there  is  nothing  amiss  with  the 
emperor;  does  he  send  for  me?" 

"  The  master  of  the  world  is  apparently  in  his  usual 
health,"  responded  the  new-comer  with  a  cautious  air. 
"  Yet  there  are  those  of  us  who  feel  much  anxiety 
concerning  him.  He  steadily  refuses  to  see  a  physi 
cian  ;  but  if  by  chance  a  physician  should  see  him — " 

"  I  think  I  understand,"  said  Charicles  gravely. 
"But  how  may  that  be ?" 

"  He  has  left  the  island  of  Caprae,  and  is  established 
in  the  villa  of  Lucullus  at  Misenum,"  continued  Macro. 
"  The  distinguished  Charicles  could  perchance  pay  a 
friendly  visit  without  offence." 

"Ah — yes,"  said  the  physician,  glancing  thoughtfully 
at  his  parchments,  "  next  month,  perhaps,  when  I  shall 
be  more  at  leisure,  I — " 

"  Now,  to-day,"  interrupted  the  other  quickly. 
"  Thou  shalt  return  with  me.  There  is  no  time  to 
lose." 

Charicles  lifted  his  eyebrows  inquiringly. 


THE  PHYSICIAN  AND  THE  EMPEROR.  99 

"  Here  is  thy  fee,"  said  the  other  impatiently,  de 
positing  a  small  leathern  bag  upon  the  table.  "  There 
are  horses  below.  Come,  I  pray  thee,  make  all  pos 
sible  haste." 

The  physician  lifted  the  bag  deliberately.  "  I  shall 
be  able,"  he  said  with  an  air  of  animation,  "to  con 
tinue  my  experiments  on — " 

"The  furies  fly  away  with  thy  experiments  !"  cried 
the  prefect  with  a  stamp  of  his  foot.  "  Make  haste,  I 
say." 

"  But  there  can  be  no  possible  doubt  as  to  the  suc 
cession,  my  good  Macro,"  remarked  the  physician, 
beginning  to  gather  his  parchments  together  with  an 
air  of  manifest  reluctance.  "  Tiberius  Gemellus,  the 
grandson  of  the  emperor,  will  of  course — " 

"  But  if  the  Fates  have  willed  otherwise,  there  is  no 
'  of  course  '  about  it." 

"And  the  Fates  in  this  instance  are  represented  by 
the  illustrious  prefect  of  praetorians  ?" 

Macro  smiled  as  if  not  altogether  displeased.  He 
drew  himself  up  proudly.  "  In  any  event  we  must 
know,  and  at  once,  the  probable  extent  of  the  present 
reign,"  he  said  decidedly.  "Art  thou  ready?" 

The  emperor  Tiberius  was  dragging  out  the  last 
wretched  remnant  of  his  days.  There  could  be  no 
possible  doubt  as  to  that.  For  three  and  twenty  years 
he  had  sat  upon  the  throne  of  Rome,  "  hated  of  all 
and  hating,"  the  fountain  head  of  that  flood  of  crime, 
bloodshed  and  lust  which  had  swept  over  Rome  in 
devastating  tide,  reducing  it  to  "  a  frightful  silence  and 


100  PA  UL. 

torpor  as  of  death."  During  this  reign  of  terror,  in  a 
scarce-noticed  province  of  his  realm,  a  mightier  One 
than  he  had  begun  a  never-ending  reign,  Maker  of 
countless  worlds  yet  the  humble  Burden-bearer  of 
humanity,  his  cradle  a  manger,  his  roof  the  stars  of 
heaven,  his  death-bed  a  Roman  cross,  Jesus  of  Naza 
reth,  the  Prince  of  Peace. 

Tiberius  had  heard  of  this  man  in  his  wicked  seclu 
sion  at  Caprae, — -a.  Jewish  soothsayer,  he  was  told,  a 
mad  fanatic,  a  dangerous  fellow,  well  out  of  the  way 
when  out  of  the  world — had  heard  and  forgotten  long 
ago.  Of  what  possible  interest  was  the  life  and  death 
of  a  Jewish  peasant  to  this  mighty  emperor  of  might 
iest  Rome,  and  yet  to-day  it  would  be  hard  to  find  a 
slave  in  all  the  palace  who  would  exchange  places  with 
Tiberius.  Tiberius  himself  knew  this  ;  he  knew  him 
self  unloved,  unpitied,  tortured  with  the  pains  of  swift- 
coming  death,  loathsome  with  the  corruption  of  the 
tomb  while  yet  cursed  with  breath.  He  watched  his 
attendants  with  a  terrible  intentness,  reading  his  sen 
tence  of  death  in  their  averted  eyes.  Clothing  was 
torment,  yet  he  forced  himself  to  endure  a  kingly  toilet 
every  day.  Food  and  wine  palled  upon  him,  yet  he 
ate  and  drank  with  dogged  determination.  Sleeping 
and  waking,  he  was  haunted  by  the  faces  and  forms  of 
his  countless  victims  ;  mingling  with  his  attendants, 
their  ghastly  blood-stained  faces  hung  over  his  couch 
at  midnight ;  with  withered  fingers  they  beckoned  to 
him  from  behind  the  shoulders  of  his  counselors  in 
the  morning  hours.  He  longed  to  shriek  aloud  of 


101 

his  misery,  to  wail  and  lament  even  as  a  slave  beneath 
the  lash,  but  who  would  listen  ?  Who  in  all  the  world 
of  mortals  or  of  spirits  was  there  to  whom  he  could 
unburden  himself? 

"  The  physician  Charicles  desires  an  audience  with 
thee,  divine  master."  And  Stephanion  bowed  low 
before  the  royal  couch. 

"  The  physician  Charicles,"  repeated  Tiberius,  rous 
ing  himself  with  difficulty  from  a  frightful  reverie. 
"  Who  is  there  here  who  needs  or  desires  the  pres 
ence  of  a  physician  ?" 

"  Praise  be  to  the  gods,  all  are  in  health,"  replied 
Stephanion.  "  The  wise  Charicles  comes  not  to  exer 
cise  his  craft,  but  only  to  look  upon  the  face  of  his 
royal  master,  since  there  is  no  greater  joy  or  privi 
lege  in  all  the  world." 

"  Fetch  me  a  mirror,"  commanded  Tiberius.  "  But 
no — how  do  we  seem  to-day,  Stephanion  ?  The 
truth,  knave — if  thou  hast  a  grain  of  truth  in  thine 
entrails." 

"As  ever,  divine  master,  the  wisdom  of  the  ancients 
and  the  majesty  and  beauty  of  the  gods  irradiate  thy 
glorious  countenance." 

Tiberius  made  an  impatient  gesture.  "  Chattering 
parrot  !"  he  muttered.  He  drew  his  gold-bordered 
purple  mantle  close  about  his  shoulders.  "  Drop 
yonder  curtain  ;  the  sun  glares  in  impertinently.  Now 
admit  the  man  to  my  presence."  He  composed  his 
countenance  into  an  artificial  smile. 

"  Nay,  good  Charicles,  do  not  kneel,  it  rejoices  me 


102  PAUL. 

to  receive  thee,  and  to  see  that  the  passing  years  have 
used  thee  not  unkindly." 

"  It  is  needless  for  me  to  ask  after  the  health  of  the 
illustrious  master  of  the  world.  It  needs  but  a  glance 
to  assure  me  of  it,"  responded  Charicles,  kissing  the 
proffered  hand  of  the  emperor. 

"  Ha,  sayest  thou  so  ?"  said  Tiberius,  drawing  his 
hand  quickly  away.  "  Yet  there  are  those  who  pro 
fess  to  think  me  ill.  I  am  no  leech,  but  it  seemeth  to 
me  that  a  man  can  scarce  be  ill  who  eats,  drinks,  and 
sleeps  with  the  appetite  of  youth." 

"A  truer  word  was  never  spoken,"  assented  Chari 
cles,  cautiously  studying  the  face  before  him.  The 
swollen  purple  visage,  the  livid  lips,  the  heaving  breast, 
all  repeating  to  his  intelligent  eye  the  story  of  the 
laboring  pulse  which  he  had  managed  to  touch  as  he 
kissed  the  royal  hand. 

Tiberius  was  not  looking  at  his  visitor  now,  his  eyes 
were  fixed  upon  the  space  directly  above  his  head  ; 
the  expression  of  his  face  grew  frightful. 

"  To  eat,  drink,  and  sleep  well,"  continued  Chari 
cles  in  a  somewhat  louder  tone,  "  the  body  must  needs 
be  in  perfect  accord  with  the  indwelling  spirit,  all  the 
parts  of  the  machine  working  harmoniously.  Thou 
hast  in  thy  wisdom  seized  the  whole  meat  of  the 
matter." 

Tiberius  dropped  his  eyes  with  a  hollow  laugh. 
"  If  thou  wast  asked  to  prescribe  for  a  man,  good  Char 
icles,  who  was  constantly  plagued  by  visions  of  the 
,dead,"  he  said,  pulling  at  his  pillows  uneasily,  "  what 


THE  PHYSICIAN  AND  THE  EMPEROR.  103 

wouldst  thou  do  for  him  ?  There  is  in  the  palace  a — 
a  slave  who  constantly  beholds  the  faces  of  murdered 
men,  ay,  and  of  murdered  women — livid,  ghastly,  some 
with  dagger-thrusts  in  the  breast,  others  with  swollen 
faces  as  of  those  strangled,  and  most  terrible  of  all,  a 
woman — "  here  his  voice  dropped  to  a  husky  whisper, 
"a  woman  whose  discolored  skin  scarce  covers  the 
bones  of  her  frame,  and  whose  skeleton  hands  are 
ever  outstretched  as  if  to  seize  him  !"* 

"  A  most  unfortunate  slave — a  most  unhappy  slave," 
said  the  physician  gravely.  "  Nay,  I  can  do  nothing 
for  such  an  one  ;  death  is  the  best  remedy." 

"  A  wise  man,  art  thou,  O  physician,  I  also  have 
said  it.  But  be  the  hour  of  dissolution  far  from  us, 
who  have  reached  the  age  of  wisdom,  and  who  after 
many  follies  are  at  last  prepared  to  enjoy  the  serene 
pleasures  of  a  riper  age.  Thou  shalt  sup  with  me  this 
night,  good  Charicles,  that  thou  mayest  drink  to  the 
prosperity  of  the  four  and  twentieth  year  of  my  reign." 

At  midnight  of  that  same  day  the  prefect  of  the 
praetorian  guard  received  the  anxiously-awaited  report 
of  the  physician. 

"  The  emperor,"  declared  Charicles  solemnly,  "  can 
not  at  the  longest  survive  more  than  two  days  ;  he  is 
even  now  a  dying  man." 

"Sayest  thou  so?"  cried  Macro  with  manifest 
delight.  "  Art  thou  sure  ?  They  tell  me  that  he 
remained  long  at  table  to-night,  and  ate  and  drank 
more  than  his  wont." 

*  Agrippina  the  elder,  see  note,  page  45. 


104  PA  UL. 

The  physician  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  That  is 
also  true,"  he  said.  "  So  might  the  mariner,  who  knows 
the  hull  of  his  vessel  to  be  gnawed  by  the  tooth  of  the 
hostile  rock,  hoist  sail  to  the  wind,  as  if  by  any  chance 
he  could  cheat  the  hungry  deeps  that  await  him.  The 
emperor  is  dying.  I,  Charicles,  have  said  it ;  and  yet 
it  is  not  I  that  have  said  it,  but  the  Fates,  who  have 
spun  and  measured  the  thread  of  his  life,  and  whose 
shining  blades  are  even  now  uplifted  to  sever  it." 

Macro  turned  away  abruptly.  "  There  is  no  time 
to  be  lost,"  he  said,  "  I  must  away."  Then  as  if  struck 
by  some  new  thought  he  paused  a  moment  at  the 
door,  to  say  with  an  authoritative  gesture,  "  Thou  wilt 
remain,  my  Charicles,  till  all  is  over." 

Left  to  himself,  Charicles  allowed  a  quiet  smile  to 
look  out  of  his  eyes.  "  If  now  I  cared  to  meddle  in 
the  affairs  of  state -craft  I  might  make  or  mar  many  a 
fortune,"  he  said  to  himself.  "There  is  Tiberius  Ge- 
mellus,  against  whom  the  tide  appears  to  set  strongly  ; 
if  at  this  moment  I  should  seek  the  emperor  and  say 
to  him,  Thou  art  dying,  and  there  is  naught  to  save 
thee ;  his  last  moments  of  time  might  suffice  to  seat 
his  grandson  securely  on  the  throne.  I,  Charicles, 
moreover  wrould  not  fail  of  my  reward,  gold,  estates, 
perchance  an  high  office  in  some  distant  province,  and 
— Macro  and  Caius  Caligula  for  mine  enemies.  May 
the  immortals  avert  the  hour !  Nay,  an  I  get  back  to 
my  parchments,  let  who  will  rule  Rome.  Neverthe 
less  I  am  minded  to  see  the  end  of  the  play." 

All  that  night  the  thud  of  swift  hoofs  resounded 


THE  PHYSICIAN  AND  THE  EMPEROR.          105 

from  the  wooded  avenues  of  the  villa ;  messengers 
were  being  despatched  to  the  distant  provinces  and 
their  armies.  All  the  next  day  whispering  groups  of 
courtiers  stood  about  the  corridors.  Caius  Caligula 
was  not  to  be  seen,  he  was  closeted  with  Macro  in  the 
chamber  of  council.  As  for  the  dying  Tiberius,  he 
lay  at  last  unresisting  upon  his  couch,  scarce  conscious 
of  what  was  passing  around  him.  Twice  during  the 
day  Charicles,  moved  by  genuine  pity,  endeavored  to 
administer  a  potion  which  he  thought  might  serve  to 
ease  the  labored  breathing,  but  perceiving  that  his 
presence  was  a  source  of  positive  annoyance  to  the 
royal  sufferer,  he  finally  withdrew,  leaving  him  to  the 
care  of  his  attendants. 

For  more  than  three  hours  now  Stephanion  had 
stood  motionless  at  the  bedside  of  his  master,  watching 
the  irregular  heaving  of  the  broad  chest ;  now  he 
turned  to  a  slave  who  stood  near,  "  Let  in  more  light," 
he  commanded  in  a  whisper.  A  flood  of  yellow  sun 
shine  darted  into  the  chamber  and  rested  full  on  the 
ghastly  face  beneath  the  purple  canopy.  Stephanion 
raised  his  head  ;  his  eyes  sparkled  with  joy.  "  He  is 
dead,"  he  said  in  a  hard  measured  voice.  Without 
another  word  he  turned  and  left  the  apartment. 

Advancing  on  tiptoe  to  the  couch  the  slave,  who  was 
now  sole  occupant  of  the  chamber,  gazed  for  a  moment 
in  silence  upon  the  livid  mask  on  its  silken  pillow. 
Raising  his  clenched  hands  high  above  his  head  he 
laughed  aloud.  "  Dog  !"  he  cried  in  a  terrible  voice, 
"for  the  dishonor  of  my  child,  for  the  murder  of  my 


106  PA  UL. 

son,  I  am  at  last  avenged."  With  that  he  smote  the 
dead  face  twice — thrice  with  the  palm  of  his  open  hand. 
Then  he  too  fled  away,  leaving  the  door  of  the  cham 
ber  wide  open. 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  WORLD.  107 


CHAPTER  XL 

THE    MASTER    OF    THE    WORLD. 

I  SAW  him  move,  I  tell  thee." 
"  Nay,  thou  art  blind,  man  ;  'twas  but  the  sun 
light  flickering  athwart  his  pillow.  He  has  been  dead 
this  half  hour,  and  already  the  son  of  Germanicus  has 
gone  forth  to  assume  the  imperial  authority.  Dost 
thou  not  hear  the  shouting  of  the  guard?" 

"  I  hear ;  but  I  would  that  it  were  the  other." 

"  What  Gemellus  ?  Not  so,  say  I.  I  have  had 
enough  of  the  name  Tiberius,  and  the  people  can 
stomach  it  no  better  than  I.  This  golden  cup  now 
shall  be  thine.  I  will  take  the  chain." 

"  I  am  afraid  to  do  it ;  Stephanion  will  return,  and — 
Ow  !  Didst  thou  hear  that  ?" 

With  eyes  starting  from  their  heads  the  guilty  slaves 
hid  themselves  behind  a  fold  of  the  bed-curtains. 

A  low  gurgling  sound  had  issued  from  the  lips  of 
the  supposed  corpse,  now  the  heavy  lids  lifted.  "  Ste 
phanion — Narcissus — "  called  a  hoarse  weak  voice, 
"  hither  knaves  !  Call  Sejanus — What,  no  answer, 
where  are  the  dogs  ?"  The  huge  bulk  stirred,  raised 
itself  upon  one  elbow.  "  Ha  !  they  are  gone  ;  they 
think  me  dead,  but  they  will  find  their  mistake.  I  am 
alive.  I  am  strong  again.  I  will  feed  their  bodies  to 


108  PAUL. 

slow  flames.  I  will  torture  them — as  I  myself  am 
tortured." 

To  the  horror  of  the  hidden  witnesses,  the  man  who 
was  to  have  stirred  no  more  actually  staggered  to  his 
feet  and  advanced  into  the  middle  of  the  floor ;  here 
he  stood  for  a  moment  as  if  irresolute,  then  with  a  low 
despairing  cry  threw  up  his  hands  and  fell  heavily  to 
the  floor. 

"  Caius  !  Caius  !"  shouted  the  voices  outside.  "  Mas 
ter  of  the  world  !  Emperor  of  Rome  !" 

At  this  one  of  the  men  behind  the  curtains  started 
forward  suddenly.  "  Call  a  physician,"  he  cried.  Then 
as  the  other  still  drew  back,  he  whispered  impatiently, 
"  Dost  thou  not  see,  dolt,  that  this  is  the  chance  of  a 
lifetime  for  us  ?  If  we  save  Tiberius  now  he  will  make 
us  free  and  rich  and  powerful,  as  for  the  distinguished 
prefect  of  praetorians  and  his  tool,  the  bandy-legged 
Caligula,  to  say  nothing  of  the  overbearing  Stephanion 
and  his  crew,  what  think  you  will  befall  them  ?  Make 
haste,  I  say !" 

The  other  slave  stroked  his  chin  reflectively.  "  It  is 
a  chance,  as  thou  sayest,"  he  said  slowly,  staring  at  the 
prostrate  figure  of  Tiberius  which  still  stirred  feebly. 
"  'T  would  be  for  a  day,  I  am  thinking  ;  the  man  here 
is  all  but  dead,  as  for  Caius — "  he  paused  and  looked 
heavily  down  upon  the  floor. 

"  Thou  art  a  slow-witted  fool !"  exclaimed  his  com 
panion  violently,  "  and  dost  deserve  thy  chain.  Stay 
thou  here,  I  will  call  a  leech." 

"  Hold  !"  growled  the  other  with  a  fierce  look.     "  I 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  WORLD.       109 

may  be  slow-witted,  but  I  am  no  fool.  Leave  this 
matter  to  me  and  I  will  bring  out  of  it  both  freedom 
and  fortune.  Keep  him  alive  for  half  an  hour  yet, 
and  we  are  slaves  no  longer." 

Left  to  himself  his  companion  bent  over  the  body 
of  the  emperor  and  listened  anxiously  at  his  breast ; 
he  picked  up  the  golden  cup  from  the  floor  where  he 
had  let  it  fall  in  his  fright,  and  pouring  into  it  a  draught 
of  wine  raised  the  heavy  head  and  carefully  dropped  a 
small  portion  of  the  liquid  into  the  half-open  mouth. 

"  My  signet,"  groaned  Tiberius,  rolling  his  head 
from  side  to  side,  "  My  Gemellus." 

To  Caius,  the  son  of  Germanicus,  it  seemed  that  the 
goal  of  his  ambition  was  finally  reached.  He  was 
emperor  of  Rome  at  last.  Smiling  courtiers  were 
thronging  about  him,  the  joyful  shouts  of  the  praeto 
rian  guard  rent  the  air,  distinguished  generals  and 
deputies  were  arriving  to  do  him  honor.  Truly  he  had 
climbed  to  a  dizzy  height,  but  his  nerve  was  steady 
and  his  heart  was  strong.  They  feared  him  already, 
this  glittering  throng,  he  could  see  that.  Well,  they 
should  fear  him  yet  more. 

"They  do  not  know  me,"  he  said  within  himself. 
At  the  thought  a  sneering  smile  crept  about  the  cor 
ners  of  his  pale  lips. 

At  the  right  hand  of  Caius  stood  the  prefect  of  the 
praetorians  clad  in  the  full  panoply  of  his  office.  He 
also  was  flushed  and  triumphant.  All  had  gone 
smoothly  and  well ;  there  had  been  no  opposition  to 
his  plans,  scarce  a  mention  of  the  unfortunate  Gemel- 


110  PAUL. 

lus,  who,  through  the  machinations  of  the  prefect,  was 
absent  at  this  time.  And  all  this  without  bloodshed 
or  show  of  violence.  Of  this  the  worthy  Macro  was 
on  the  whole  glad ;  too  long  had  Rome  been  nau 
seated  with  blood,  from  henceforth  matters  should  be 
conducted  on  a  different  plan. 

"If  I  am  not  emperor,"  he  thought  complacently, 
"  I  am  that  which  is  far  greater,  a  maker  and  ruler 
of  emperors.  As  I  have  moved  this  puppet,  Caius, 
in  the  past  so  will  I  control  and  direct  him  in  the 
future." 

He  expanded  his  chest  with  a  deep  breath  of  enjoy 
ment  and  triumph  ;  his  tone  and  gesture,  as  he  re 
sponded  to  some  trifling  remark  addressed  to  him  by 
the  newly-made  emperor,  suggested  that  of  an  indul 
gent  master  to  his  favorite  slave. 

Caius  perceived  this  ;  his  face  grew  dark.  At  that 
moment  his  eye  fell  upon  a  man  who  was  endeavoring 
to  make  his  way  through  the  throng  of  courtiers  and 
soldiers.  "  'Tis  my  old  slave  Codrus,"  he  said,  "the 
fellow  will  crave  a  boon  of  me,  but  I  have  a  score  to 
settle  with  him  first,"  and  he  drew  his  brows  together 
with  an  ominous  look. 

"  No  violence  to-day,  I  beg  of  thee,"  whispered 
Macro  hastily.  "  There  has  been  too  much  of  that  in 
days  past.  Do  what  thou  wilt  in  secret,  but — " 

"And  is  it  thou,  Macro,  who  art  emperor?"  said 
Caius,  with  an  insulting  smile,  "  or  is  it  I,  Caius  Caesar  ? 
Nay,  I  like  not  thy  tone  and  manner,  good  prefect." 

Macro  bit  his  lip,  his  face  grew  red  with  anger.     "  I 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  WORLD.       Ill 

must  venture  to  remind  the  emperor,"  he  said  coldly, 
"that  had  it  not  been  for — " 

"  Nay,  thou  must  not  venture  to  remind  the  em 
peror,"  interrupted  Caius  arrogantly.  "  The  emperor, 
like  the  gods,  can  both  remember  and  forget  at  his 
pleasure ;  for  thee  there  is  but  forgetting — as  far  as 
the  past  goes  ;  this  thou  mayest  remember,"  and  he 
burst  into  a  loud  laugh  at  his  own  sorry  wit. 

Macro  did  not  join  in  the  laugh,  but  none  the  less 
his  face  lit  up  marvelously. 

The  slave  Codrus  had  thrown  himself  down  before 
them,  with  a  loud  cry.  "  Tiberius  is  alive  !  he  hath 
recovered  himself  by  the  mercy  of  the  gods,  and  both 
speaks  and  sees." 

The  effect  of  these  words  was  amazing;  the  crowd 
of  flattering  courtiers  dissolved  away  and  vanished, 
even  as  a  bank  of  mist  before  the  rising  sun  ;  the  shouts 
of  the  soldiers  were  instantly  silenced  by  some  one  in 
authority.  Caius  stood  as  if  turned  to  stone,  the 
arrogant  laugh  frozen  upon  his  lips.  He  tottered  and 
would  have  fallen  but  for  the  prompt  arm  of  the  man 
at  his  side. 

"What — what  shall  I  do?"  he  gasped,  turning  his 
white  face  upon  the  prefect.  "  I — must  fly  !" 

"  Hadst  thou  asked  me  the  question  an  hour  since, 
son  of  Germanicus,  I  might  perchance  have  answered 
thee,"  sneered  Macro.  "  Thou,  who  alone  canst  re 
member,  wilt  perchance  remember  that  for  me  there 
is  but  forgetting.  I  have,  therefore,  forgotten  my 
wisdom  ;  I  cannot  advise  thee." 


112  PAUL. 

"  Nay,  I  did  but  jest,  good  Macro — I  did  but  jest." 

"And  thou  wilt  again  jest,  if  I  restore  thee  to 
power,"  said  Macro,  regarding  him  gloomily. 

"  I  swear  that  I  will  not,"  gasped  Caius,  his  teeth 
chattering  with  abject  fear.  "  Look,  they  are  already 
coming  to  drag  me  before  him  !" 

"Who  is  with  the  emperor?"  demanded  Macro,  turn 
ing  to  Codrus. 

"  The  slave  Narcissus,  no  other,"  replied  Codrus, 
looking  straight  into  the  eyes  of  the  prefect.  "  Tibe 
rius,"  he  continued,  in  a  lower  tone,  "  rose  from  his 
couch  unassisted,  and  is  fallen  upon  the  floor  of  his 
chamber." 

"Desirest  thou  thy  freedom,  slave?"  said  the  prefect. 

"The  gods  be  my  witness  that  I  do,"  responded 
Codrus  fervently. 

"  Go  then,  deliver  the  soul  of  Tiberius  from  the 
flesh  which  hath  too  long  irked  him,  and  thou  shalt 
have  thy  freedom,  together  with  a  thousand  drachmae 
of  gold.  Stay — he  lies,  sayest  thou,  upon  the  floor  of 
his  chamber  ;  heap  upon  him  the  clothing  of  his  couch, 
and  leave  him  alone ;  the  gods  will  take  care  of  the 
rest." 

"  I  will  do  this  thing  for  my  freedom,"  said  the 
slave,  slowly  raising  his  right  hand  above  his  head. 
"  But  the  father  of  the  gods  is  my  witness  that  thou 
hast  commanded  it.  I  but  obey — as  the  javelin  obeys 
the  hand  of  him  that  hurls  it."  With  that  he  was 
gone,  swift  as  the  murderous  weapon  to  which  he  had 
likened  himself. 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  WORLD.       113 

And  so  on  that  day  perished  miserably,  Tiberius,  in 
the  seventy  and  eighth  year  of  his  life,  and  Caius 
Caesar,  son  of  his  brother's  son,  reigned  in  his  stead. 

Among  those  who  presently  thronged  more  thickly 
than  ever  about  the  newly-made  emperor — Tiberius 
having  been  at  last  officially  declared  dead,  to  the 
great  joy  of  all  concerned — there  came  a  woman,  pal 
lid  and  sorrowful,  yet  bearing  herself  with  a  right 
queenly  grace.  "A  boon,  my  lord,  the  emperor,  a 
boon,"  she  cried,  throwing  herself  at  his  feet.  "  Herod 
Agrippa  was  thy  friend,  and  because  he  was  thy  friend 
he  hath  languished  now  for  many  months  in  a  foul 
dungeon,  laden  moreover  with  a  chain  of  iron  which 
cankers  not  his  flesh  more  than  the  thought  of  it  hath 
tortured  me,  his  wife." 

The  foul  and  sluggish  current  of  Caligula's  blood 
was  flowing  more  swiftly  on  this  memorable  day  than 
was  its  wont,  he  therefore  sprang  to  his  feet  with  a 
flush  on  his  cheek  that  in  another  might  have  argued 
the  generous  indignation  of  true  friendship. 

"Agrippa !  and  in  a  dungeon !"  he  exclaimed, 
"  Fetch  him  forth  instantly ;  and  for  the  iron  chain 
that  hath  bound  him,  let  a  golden  chain  be  made  of 
equal  weight.  For  with  blood  will  Caius  Caesar  quench 
the  fires  of  hatred,  and  with  chains  of  gold  will  he  bind 
to  him  the  hearts  of  his  friends." 

All  that  heard  applauded  him  for  the  god-like  wis 
dom  of  his  words.  Macro  applauded  with  the  rest ; 
he  had  begun  to  understand  the  nature  of  his  royal 
master. 

8 


114  PAUL. 

And  Charicles,  the  wise  physician,  having  seen  the 
play  to  its  end,  went  back  to  Rome  content  to  have 
been  only  a  looker-on.  "  Verily,"  he  said  aloud, 
thoughtfully  contemplating  the  grinning  skull  which 
served  to  keep  his  parchment  leaves  from  fluttering 
away  in  the  breeze  from  the  open  window.  "  Verily, 
this  world  must  present  a  strange  spectacle  to  the 
immortal  gods — if  there  be  any  gods,  for  in  it  we 
mortals,  emerging  from  the  black  night  of  nothing 
ness,  crawl  for  a  little  in  the  light,  sleeping  and 
waking,  burden-bearing,  fighting,  eating,  drinking, 
loving  perhaps  and  loved,  of  a  surety  hating  and  hated, 
clutching  madly  at  a  robe  of  sheep's  wool  dyed  with 
purple — the  purple,  but  the  blood  of  a  miserable  shell 
fish,  empty  emblem  of  a  power  that  exists  not — and 
at  the  last  scourged  again  by  some  invisible  hand  into 
the  further  blackness,  to  emerge  no  more.  If  we  be 
what  men  call  wise,  what  is  our  wisdom  save  the  power 
to  know  our  unspeakable  ignorance  ?" 


THE  CHOSEN  AND  THE  ACCURSED.  115 


CHAPTER    XII. 

THE    CHOSEN    AND    THE   ACCURSED. 

JUDAS  of  Damascus  was  a  just  man ;  not  only  was 
he  held  so  to  be  by  his  fellow-countrymen,  but 
he  was  respected  aud  even  feared  by  all  the  Syrians, 
Greeks,  Romans  and  other  Gentiles  with  whom  he  had 
dealings  in  a  commercial  way.  No  one  could  regret 
more  sincerely  than  did  Judas  the  hard  necessity  of  com 
ing  into  contact  with  "the  accursed  "  in  even  the  most 
casual  manner ;  but  business  was  business  in  Damas 
cus  as  elsewhere,  and  if  holiness  unto  the  Lord  was 
the  best  thing  in  the  world,  certainly  the  next  unto  it 
in  point  of  desirability  was  to  be  possessed  of  shekels 
in  abundance.  A  man  might  be  never  so  holy,  and 
yet  be  clothed  in  rags — which  was  assuredly  an  evil 
thing.  To  be  holy,  to  be  blameless  after  the  law,  and 
at  the  same  time  to  be  rich,  was  to  be  like  Abraham, 
Isaac  and  Jacob,  like  Saul  and  Solomon  and  David  ; 
not  that  Judas  openly  compared  himself  with  the  patri 
archs  and  kings  of  old,  but  the  thing  was  obvious 
even  to  the  dullest  comprehension  ;  if  a  man  was  pros 
pered  in  his  business,  God  was  with  him.  The  Scrip 
tures  taught  it ;  and  Judas,  being  rich  and  prosperous, 
thoroughly  believed  it. 

Why  then  was  it  that  the  face  of  this  good  man 


116  PAUL. 

should  be  downcast  and  gloomy.  He  had  just 
brought  to  successful  issue  a  transaction  which,  while 
it  would  assuredly  impoverish  the  short-sighted  Gentile 
with  whom  it  had  been  concluded,  would  just  as  assur 
edly  bring  a  goodly  sum  into  the  strong  box  of  the 
astute  Judas.  Moreover  he  had  since  thoroughly 
cleansed  both  his  conscience  and  his  hands  by  a  vast 
deal  of  ceremonial  washing ;  even  the  robe  which  he 
had  worn  had  been  duly  purified,  according  to  the  law, 
from  all  polluting  contact.  Clean  without  and  within, 
triumphant  over  lawlessness  and  idolatry,  why  did  not 
peace  irradiate  the  countenance  of  the  just  and  pros 
perous  Judas  ?  Alas  !  in  this  present  evil  world  there 
is  ever  some  trial  to  buffet  even  the  very  elect.  In 
accordance  with  his  comprehensive  yet  simple  code  of 
ethics  Judas  was  wont  to  set  down  all  such  mental  and 
bodily  disquietude  to  the  active  interference  of  the  evil 
one. 

"All  was  well  with  man,"  he  would  say  piously, 
"till  the  devil  tempted  the  woman  in  the  garden  of 
Eden.  Through  the  deplorable  folly  of  woman  came 
all  manner  of  evil  into  the  world  ;  and  so,  alas,  hath  it 
ever  remained,  for  the  devil  having  once  obtained  favor 
in  the  eyes  of  woman,  hath  not  ceased  through  her  to 
plague  all  the  sons  of  Adam  unto  this  present  day." 

These  reflections,  which  he  had  heretofore  indulged 
with  the  peaceful  calm  of  a  philosopher,  had  been 
brought  to  his  mind  with  unaccustomed  poignancy  on 
this  very  morning.  He  had  come  upon  his  wife  in  the 
great  court  of  the  household  just  in  time  to  see  her 


THE  CHOSEN  AND  THE  ACCURSED.  117 

bestow  a  goodly  loaf  of  barley  bread  upon  a  ragged 
unkempt  woman,  whose  speech  and  countenance  but 
too  clearly  betrayed  the  accursed  Gentile. 

"May  the  father  of  all  the  gods  bless  thee,"  cried 
the  woman,  the  tears  coursing  down  her  thin  cheeks. 
"  My  little  ones  are  starving,  another  evening  would 
have  seen  them  lying  stark  and  cold  ;  but  now,  thanks 
be  to  the  merciful  Diana — who  hath  softened  thy  heart 
according  to  my  prayer — they  shall  live  and  not  die." 

"  Nay,  good  friend,  say  not  so,"  replied  the  wife  of 
Judas,  her  dark  eyes  glistening  with  sympathy.  "  It 
was  for  the  love  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  who  also  gave 
himself  for  the  sins  of  the  world,  that  I  have  had  com 
passion  upon  thee.  Pray  no  more  to  the  false  gods,  I 
beseech  thee,  but  unto  Jehovah,  the  eternal  One,  and 
to  Jesus  Christ  his  well-beloved  son." 

Judas  stood  as  if  turned  to  stone.  He  could  scarce 
believe  the  evidence  of  his  unwilling  ears. 

"  I  will  pray  to  thy  god,  lady,  if  only  to  please 
thee,"cried  the  beggar  woman,  sinking  to  her  knees  ; 
"  but  I  will  also  kiss  the  hem  of  thy  garment,  since 
thou  art  blessed  even  as  one  beloved  of  the  gods." 

"  Hold,  dog !"  cried  a  rancorous  voice  from  behind. 
"  Lay  not  thine  accursed  hand  upon  a  daughter  of 
Abraham."  Then  quite  forgetting  himself  in  his  holy 
wrath,  Judas  advanced  with  uplifted  hand  towards  the 
beggar,  who  pallid  and  trembling,  still  clasping  the 
precious  loaf  to  her  breast,  cowered  before  him,  as 
abject  and  wretched  an  object  as  could  perhaps  be  found 
within  the  four  walls  of  Damascus. 


118  PA  UL. 

"Get  thee  gone,  vile  heathen,"  he  continued  in  a 
tone  which  caused  the  half-dozen  maids  and  men  who 
were  staring  open-mouthed  at  the  spectacle  to  glance 
apprehensively  at  their  mistress.  "  Drop  the  loaf — 
no  morsel  of  mine  shall  nourish  the  viperous  brood  of 
a  Gentile." 

But  at  this  his  wife  laid  her  hand  upon  his  arm.  "  I 
gave  the  bread,  my  lord,"  she  said  in  a  low  voice. 
"  It  shall  not  be  taken  from  her.  Go,  my  poor  woman, 
and  peace  go  with  thee." 

Judas  turned  upon  the  speaker,  his  breath  coming 
short  in  his  fury.  "  I  have  also  somewhat  to  say  unto 
thee,  woman,"  he  said ;  "  attend  me  in  the  inner 
house." 

The  beggar  released  from  the  spell  of  his  wrathful 
eyes  made  haste  to  slink  away  through  the  open  door 
way  into  the  street,  followed  by  the  contemptuous 
glances  of  the  servants.  "  Good  Diana  !"  she  gasped, 
"if  yonder  man  be  a  worshiper  of  the  god  of  the  Jews, 
I  cannot  pray  to  him  as  I  promised,  he  is  too  awful ; 
but  do  thou  have  mercy  on  the  lady,  for  she  hath  need 
of  succor  at  this  moment." 

If  there  was  either  terror  or  remorse  in  the  heart  of 
the  lady  Rachel  as  she  followed  her  husband  into  the 
inner  court  of  the  mansion,  it  was  not  evident  to  the 
curious  eyes  of  the  servants.  The  mild  serenity  of 
her  gracious  brow  remained  quite  unruffled,  and  if  her 
eyes  still  glistened  with  tears,  they  were  but  the  tears 
of  angelic  pity  with  which  she  had  regarded  the 
wretched  object  of  her  compassion.  The  wife  of 


THE  CHOSEN  AND  THE  ACCURSED.  119 

Judas  was  a  tall  woman,  tall  and  large,  with  a  certain 
gracious  and  majestic  amplitude  of  figure.  All  of  her 
movements  were  deliberate  ;  she  spoke  little,  smiled 
less,  and  laughed  not  at  all.  Yet  there  breathed  forth 
from  her  presence  such  a  sweet  and  tranquilizing 
serenity,  such  a  tender  and  soul-satisfying  warmth, 
that  I  know  not  unto  what  to  liken  her.  She  was 
most,  perhaps,  like  the  brooding  light  of  a  day  in 
August,  when  all  is  complete,  finished,  all  the  sharp 
anxiety  and  stress  of  spring,  all  the  lusty  haste  and 
laughing  tumult  of  early  summer ;  the  harvest  fields 
rest  in  golden  peace,  the  clusters  purple  slowly  in  the 
shade  of  the  drowsy  leaves,  and  over  all  the  silent 
sunshine  lies  like  a  benediction. 

Judas  was  forced  by  reason  of  the  smallness  of  his 
stature  to  look  up  when  he  addressed  the  stately 
Rachel,  an  attitude  little  suited  to  towering  fury  and 
scathing  denunciation ;  on  this  occasion  therefore,  he 
bade  her  sit,  that  he  might  the  better  pour  out  upon 
her  the  vials  of  his  righteous  indignation.  For  some 
moments  he  kept  silence,  pacing  rapidly  up  and  down, 
and  plucking  savagely  at  his  scanty  beard. 

The  lady  Rachel  regarded  him  steadily,  her  large 
eyes  beaming  with  anxious  affection.  "  Thou  art  dis 
quieted,  my  lord,"  she  said  at  length,  "  because  I  have 
bestowed  an  alms  upon  the  Gentile  woman." 

"Disquieted!"  snarled  Judas,  stopping  short  and 
fixing  his  ferret-like  eyes  upon  her.  "  Disquieted !" 
and  his  voice  rose  to  a  shrill  wail.  "  God  of  Abra 
ham  !  in  what  have  I  offended,  that  the  flesh  of  my 


120  PAUL. 

flesh,  the  bone  of  my  bone  hath  presumed  to  rise  up 
against  me  ?  Mine  house  is  polluted !  Mine  ears 
have  listened  to  wicked  words !  Fetch  ashes  that  I 
may  strew  them  upon  my  beard,  and  bitter  waters  that 
I  may  drink  thereof."  Then  his  tone  changed  sud 
denly,  "  Of  whom  hast  thou  learned  to  prate  of  Jesus 
of  Nazareth  ?  Who  taught  thee  the  foul  blasphemy 
of  calling  a  crucified  malefactor  the  son  of  Jehovah  ? 
and  when  didst  thou  see  the  righteous  give  alms  to  an 
idolater?  Answer." 

"  I  will  answer  thee  right  gladly,  my  lord,"  replied 
the  lady,  a  shadowy  smile  touching  her  lips  with  sweet 
ness.  "  I  learned  the  things  whereof  thou  hast  spoken, 
of  the  rabbi  Saul,  who  also  was  a  guest  in  our  house, 
when  first  he  came  up  from  Jerusalem.  To  thee  also 
is  it  known  how  that  he  was  rebuked  of  the  Lord  in  a 
vision  as  he  approached  Damascus  for  to  make  havoc 
of  them  which  believe.  Surely  thou  art  not  ignorant 
that  for  many  months  now  he  hath  spoken  both  in  the 
synagogue  and  elsewhere,  convincing  many — " 

"  I  have  known — yes,"  broke  in  Judas  rudely,  "  that 
the  man  Saul,  who  was  smitten  with  an  evil  spirit,  and 
driven  by  it  .into  the  wilderness  for  a  space,  hath  re 
turned,  and  that  he  hath  plagued  the  synagogues  with 
his  foul  ravings." 

"  But  hast  thou  heard — " 

"  Nay,  I  have  not  heard.  I  will  not  hear.  Nor 
shalt  thou  again  listen  to  the  devil-possessed.  He 
shall  be  dealt  with  after  the  law.  Alas,  I  have  been 
remiss  in  my  duty,  and  because  of  it  I  am  made 


THE  CHOSEN  AND  THE  ACCURSED.  121 

ashamed  in  mine  own  house.  Thou  art  a  woman,  and 
therefore  Satan  hath  had  easy  mastery  over  thee  ;  but 
a  sin-offering  shall  be  made  for  thee,  that  thou  mayst 
yet  be  restored." 

"  But  I  declare  to  thee,  my  lord,  that  I  believe  in 
my  heart  what  the  man  hath  proclaimed.  He  is  not 
mad  ;  he  hath  convinced  many — not  women  only,  but 
Reuben,  and  Isaac  the  son  of  Nun,  and — " 

"What  is  it  that  thou  are  saying?"  exclaimed  Judas 
aghast.  "  But  hold,  I  must  look  into  this  matter. 
Go  thou  into  thine  own  apartments,  put  sackcloth 
upon  thy  body,  and  ashes  upon  thine  head,  and  hum 
ble  thyself  before  Jehovah.  Neither  eat  nor  drink, 
nor  have  speech  with  thy  maidens,  till  I  shall  give  thee 
leave ;  for  I  am  a  just  man,  and  holiness  to  the  Lord 
is  written  upon  the  lintels  of  my  doors." 

The  lady  Rachel  bowed  her  head.  "  Behold  !"  she 
said,  solemnly,  "  I  will  fast  and  pray  for  the  peace  of 
Israel,  and  for  the  salvation  of  this  house." 

The  day  following  Ananias  sat  in  the  garden  of  his 
house,  reading  as  was  his  wont  at  the  noontide  hour 
from  the  books  of  the  law.  His  face  was  troubled, 
and  he  sighed  now  and  again  as  he  read. 

"  I  fear  me  that  we  do  evil  in  the  sight  of  God  in 
that  we  remain  within  the  walls  of  this  place,"  he  said 
at  length,  lifting  his  eyes  to  the  face  of  his  wife  who 
sat  near  him,  her  hands  peacefully  employed  with  the 
distaff.  "  It  is  not  enough  that  we  keep  ourselves  a 
separate  people  ;  we  ought  to  come  out  from  among 
them,  even  as  it  is  commanded.  The  women  of  the 


122  PAUL. 

accursed  come  into  our  synagogues,  and  their  children 
mingle  with  the  children  of  the  chosen  in  the  market 
places  and  in  the  streets." 

"  But  if  by  reason  of  so  doing,  some  be  turned  unto 
life,  beloved,  surely  thou  wilt  rejoice,"  said  Myra 
gently.  "  It  may  be  that  God  hath  placed  Israel  even 
as  leaven  among  the  nations,  till  all  shall  be  leavened 
with  the  righteousness  which  it  hath  pleased  him  to 
reveal  alone  to  us,  his  chosen."  Then  her  eyes  filled 
with  sudden  tears,  "  It  is  a  year,"  she  said  in  a  half- 
whisper.  "Again  they  will  force  the  children  to  dance 
before  Baal.  Why,  oh  why,  can  we  not  do  something 
to  save  them  ?  Surely  a  little  child,  whether  born  of 
Jew  or  Gentile,  is  but  a  little  lower  than  the  angels." 

"  Not  so  is  it  decreed  in  the  law  and  in  the  prophets," 
said  Ananias  sternly.  "  Behold  it  is  written  that  our 
God  is  a  jealous  God,  visiting  the  iniquities  of  the 
fathers  upon  the  children  unto  the  third  and  fourth 
generation  of  them  that  hate  him.  And  this  word  of  the 
law  was  spoken  to  Israel  ;  if  then  God  spare  not  the 
children  of  a  sinning  Israelite,  how  think  you  doth  he 
look  upon  the  offspring  of  idolaters,  who  for  count 
less  generations  have  not  ceased  from  their  abomina 
tions.  And  what  also  did  the  Lord  command  Israel 
concerning  those  nations  which  dwelt  in  the  land  of 
Canaan ;  was  it  not  to  drive  them  out,  and  to  destroy 
them  off  the  face  of  the  earth  ?  Both  old  men  and 
maidens,  children  also  and  women  were  our  fathers 
commanded  to  put  to  the  edge  of  the  sword.  Listen, 
while  I  read  to  thee  from  the  law.  '  When  the  Lord 


THE  CHOSEN  AND  THE  ACCURSED.  123 

thy  God  shall  bring  thee  into  the  land  whither  thou 
goest  to  possess  it,  and  hath  cast  out  many  nations 
before  thee — even  seven  nations  greater  and  mightier 
than  thou,  and  when  the  Lord  thy  God  shall  deliver 
them  before  thee  :  thou  shalt  smite  them  and  utterly 
destroy  them ;  thou  shalt  make  no  covenant  with 
them  ;  nor  show  mercy  unto  them.  Neither  shalt 
thou  make  marriages  with  them  ;  thy  daughter  thou 
shalt  not  give  unto  his  son,  nor  his  daughter  shalt  thou 
take  unto  thy  son,  for  they  will  turn  away  thy  sons 
from  following  me,  that  they  may  serve  other  gods : 
so  will  the  anger  of  the  Lord  be  kindled  against  you, 
and  destroy  you  suddenly.  But  thus  shall  ye  deal 
with  them  ;  ye  shall  destroy  their  altars,  and  break 
down  their  images,  and  cut  down  their  groves,  and 
burn  their  graven  images  with  fire.'  ' 

"  Amen  and  amen,"  said  a  deep  voice  from  the 
entrance  to  the  garden.  "  This  shall  be  ;  yet  must  the 
purifying  fire  come  from  on  high,  even  as  it  came  in 
answer  to  the  cry  of  Elijah,  consuming  the  burnt  sacri 
fice,  and  the  wood,  and  the  stones,  and  the  dust,  lick 
ing  up  the  water  also  that  was  in  the  trench." 

"  Enter  thou  in  brother  Saul,  and  may  the  blessing 
of  Jehovah  with  which  he  hath  blessed  thee,  rest  also 
upon  me  and  upon  my  household,"  said  Ananias 
rising.  "  I  would  also  speak  with  thee  of  something 
that  concerns  thee  and  thy  welfare  ;  and  of  this  I  am 
persuaded  to  speak  with  all  boldness  because  of  my 
love  for  thee.  For  many  months  now,  hast  thou  dwelt 
in  Damascus,  and  thou  hast  without  ceasing  preached 


124  PAUL. 

Jesus  of  Nazareth  in  every  synagogue,  convincing  men 
that  he  was  in  deed  and  in  truth  the  Christ  of  God. 
But  in  so  doing  thou  hast  raised  up  for  thyself  fierce 
enemies  among  the  Jews."  He  paused  a  moment  as 
if  he  scarce  knew  how  to  proceed. 

Saul  who  had  listened  attentively  to  the  words  of 
his  host,  looked  up  with  a  quiet  smile.  '"Thinkest 
thou  that  I  am  .not  aware  of  it  ?"  he  said.  "  It  is  meet 
that  I  should  suffer  the  things  which  also  I  laid  upon 
others  in  times  past :  if  I  be  persecuted,  scourged, 
stoned  even,  as  I  preach  the  Christ,  I  shall  count  it  but 
glory,  since  if  I  bear  these  chastenings  in  my  body 
with  patience  I  shall  not  only  receive  the  reward  of 
them  hereafter,  but  now  also  in  the  flesh  ;  for  if  in  the 
flesh  we  do  show  forth  the  death  of  our  Lord  we  shall 
also  show  forth  his  life." 

"  I  have  read  this  day,  what  thou  art  assuredly  not 
ignorant  of,"  continued  Ananias,  looking  more  and 
more  troubled,  "  how  that  all  idolaters  are  an  abomin 
ation  unto  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  and  yet  thou  dost  declare 
that  salvation  shall  come  to  the  Gentiles.  How  then 
can  this  be  ?  Was  not  the  Christ  foretold  as  the  Savior 
of  Israel  ?  And  can  God  who  is  the  same  yesterday, 
to-day  and  forever,  change  ?  If  yesterday  he  hated 
the  uncircumcised,  and  pronounced  against  them 
anathema,  how  can  he  receive  them  to-day  ?  How 
can  his  anger  against  them  cease  to  burn  ?  Nay, 
brother,  it  is  because  of  these  things  that  murmurings 
have  risen  against  thee — and  that  even  among  them 
that  believe  on  Jesus." 


THE  CHOSEN  AND  THE  ACCURSED.  125 

"  It  is  written  that  the  Lord  regardeth  not  man," 
answered  Saul  gravely.  "  All  nations  are  the  work 
of  his  hands.  Moreover  it  hath  been  shown  me,  not 
by  flesh  and  blood  but  through  the  revelation  of  God, 
that  I  am  called  to  preach  Christ  to  the  Gentiles.  All 
that  hath  happened  in  days  past,  and  all  that  hath  been 
written,  both  in  the  prophecies  and  in  the  law,  shall 
be  reconciled  in  Christ,  for  in  him  is  God  made  mani 
fest.  The  fire  of  God  shall  descend  upon  the  heathen, 
and  their  altars  shall  be  broken,  and  their  groves  shall 
be  laid  even  with  the  ground,  and  their  graven  images 
also  shall  be  utterly  destroyed,  for  the  fire  of  the  spirit 
shall  be  poured  out  upon  all  flesh,  and  in  it  shall  all 
that  is  unworthy  and  unclean  be  purged  away." 

"Would  that  these  things  might  be,"  murmured 
Ananias,  turning  over  the  leaves  of  parchment.  "  But 
what  dost  thou  say  of  the  command,  Thou  shalt  make 
no  covenant  with  them,  nor  show  mercy  unto  them  ?" 

"  That  word  was  spoken  unto  the  Children  of  Israel, 
children  indeed,  in  that  they  comprehended  not  the 
glory  of  God  nor  the  magnitude  of  his  mercies,  for 
they  did  continually  turn  unto  strange  gods,  even 
making  unto  themselves  a  golden  calf  at  the  foot  of 
Sinai,  the  mount  that  could  not  be  touched  because  of 
the  presence  of  the  Almighty.  But  now  we  are  no 
longer  children,  for  unto  us  hath  been  plainly  shown 
the  wisdom  and  glory  of  God  in  Jesus  Christ  his  son, 
of  whom  also  it  is  written,  '  And  there  shall  come 
forth  a  rod  out  of  the  stem  of  Jesse,  and  a  branch 
shall  grow  out  of  his  roots  which  shall  stand  for  an 


126  PA  UL. 

ensign  of  the  people ;  to  it  shall  the  Gentiles  seek ; 
and  his  rest  shall  be  glorious.'  And  to  Abraham  did 
God  promise,  '  in  thy  seed  shall  all  the  kingdoms  of 
the  earth  be  blessed.'  Also  in  the  book  of  Daniel  it 
is  written  '  I  saw  in  the  night  visions,  and  behold  one 
like  the  son  of  man  came  with  the  clouds  of  heaven, 
and  he  came  to  the  Ancient  of  days,  and  they  brought 
him  near  before  him.  And  there  was  given  him 
dominion,  and  glory,  and  a  kingdom,  that  all  people, 
nations,  and  languages  should  serve  him.  His  dominion 
is  an  everlasting  dominion,  which  shall  not  pass  away, 
and  his  kingdom  that  which  shall  not  be  destroyed.' ' 

"  All  nations  are  kindred,"  said  Myra  softly,  "  for 
all  claim  a  common  father,  even  the  first-created." 

"Ay,"  assented  Saul,  with  a  grave  yet  singularly 
beautiful  smile.  "  In  Adam  did  all  sin,  and  through 
sin  came  death  into  the  world ;  yet  there  is  one,  even 
Christ,  who  hath  conquered  death,  and  in  him  shall  all 
that  believe  be  made  alive  again." 

At  the  mention  of  that  name  the  face  of  Ananias 
grew  bright.  "  I  have  heard  that  he  himself  declared 
this  saying  shortly  before  his  death,  and  that  also  in 
the  presence  of  certain  Gentiles  who  had  sought  him, 
'  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  will  draw  all  men 
unto  me.' ' 

While  he  yet  spoke,  there  came  a  sound  of  loud 
knocking  at  the  outer  portal,  and  one  entered  in  who 
bore  tidings  of  evil. 

"There  hath  a  plot  been  made  to  put  Saul  to 
death,"  cried  the  messenger  when  he  had  found  his 


THE  CHOSEN  AND  THE  ACCURSED.  127 

voice.  "  Moreover  there  be  men  posted  at  the  city  gates 
who  will  watch  night  and  day  that  he  escape  not." 

"And  how  is  it  that  thou  knowest  of  these  things?" 
asked  Saul,  his  quiet  voice  betraying  neither  fear  nor 
anger. 

"  I  am  of  the  household  of  Judas,"  answered  the 
man,  "  and  I  stood  without  the  door  as  my  master  and 
certain  others  of  the  Jews  talked  together.  When  I 
heard  what  things  they  plotted  against  thee,  I  hasted 
to  bring  thee  word  lest  thou  shouldst  fall  into  the  pit 
which  these  have  digged  for  thee.  But  alas,  I  know 
not  how  thy  safety  shall  be  assured." 

"  Nevertheless,  I  shall  live  and  not  die,"  said  Saul 
confidently ;  "  for  I  have  not  yet  accomplished  that 
whereunto  I  am  set  apart." 

And  when  after  sunset  the  thing  became  known  unto 
others  of  them  that  believed,  they  gathered  themselves 
together  in  the  house  of  Ananias  to  consult  as  to  what 
should  be  done.  Some  advised  one  thing  and  some 
another,  and  they  were  all  afraid,  neither  could  any 
think  of  a  way  out  of  the  danger. 

"  Could  he  not  escape  by  way  of  the  walls  ?"  whis 
pered  Myra  timidly  in  the  ear  of  her  husband  ;  "  even 
if  the  gates  be  guarded." 

"  But  how  may  that  be,  little  one,  since  the  walls 
are  high,  and  moreover,  we  have  learned  that  there 
be  men  posted  without  who  patrol  the  city  ?" 

"The  night  is  dark,"  persisted  Myra,  "and  Ben 
Eli,  thy  kinsman,  dwells  in  a  house  whose  windows 
overhang  the  wall." 


128  PAUL. 

"  But  how — " 

"  In  this  perhaps."  And  as  if  half  ashamed  of  her 
thought,  she  displayed  a  large  basket  made  of  rope, 
the  like  of  which  was  used  for  carrying  heavy  burdens. 
"  It  is  strong,"  she  whispered,  "  and  if  there  be  no 
other  way — " 

This  suggestion  Ananias  made  known  to  Saul,  where 
he  sat  apart,  his  face  quite  serene  and  untroubled, 
though  many  of  the  others  were  weeping  aloud  and 
lamenting. 

"Yes,"  he  said  with  a  quiet  smile,  looking  at  the 
basket  of  ropes,  "  it  is  a  good  thought ;  so  doth  God 
choose  the  foolish  things  of  the  world  to  confound  the 
wise,  and  the  weak  things  of  the  world  to  confound 
the  things  that  are  mighty." 

Then  he  called  them  all  together,  and  prayed  with 
them,  and  blessed  them,  and  bade  them  farewell. 
Afterward  with  Ananias  and  one  other  for  company, 
he  made  his  way  across  the  intervening  roofs  to  the 
house  of  Ben  Eli.  When  it  was  now  the  dark  hour 
before  the  dawn,  and  the  sentries  dozed  at  their  posts, 
with  all  caution  and  secrecy  they  lowered  Saul  in  the 
basket  of  ropes  from  a  window  which  overhung  the 
wall.  The  silence  and  the  darkness  received  him,  and 
there  was  neither  sound  nor  motion.  After  a  little 
they  pulled  gently  upon  the  rope  and  felt  no  weight 
thereon,  then  they  knew  that  he  was  gone. 


SA  UL  IN  JEB  USALEM.  129 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

SAUL  IN  JERUSALEM. 

FOR  many  days  the  fugitive  journeyed  on,  in  wea 
riness  and  painfulness,  in  hunger  and  thirst, 
scorched  by  the  burning  heat  of  desert  noons,  wet 
with  the  cold  dew  of  lonely  midnights,  over  the  same 
tortuous  and  difficult  road  which  he  had  traversed 
not  many  months  since  in  all  the  pride  and  arrogance 
of  Pharisaical  zeal.  Past  the  spot  where  the  dazzling 
splendor  of  the  heavenly  vision  had  smitten  him  to  the 
earth,  past  pools  and  streams  where  he  had  sought  in 
vain  to  cleanse  his  blood-stained  conscience  with  cere 
monial  washings,  past  the  sea  of  Galilee,  where  the 
lowly  Christ  had  walked  with  his  disciples,  till  at  length 
the  mountains  round  about  Jerusalem  crowded  the  near 
horizon.  Past  Gethsemane,  past  Calvary,  past  that 
other  spot  outside  the  walls,  where  Stephen  had 
fallen  asleep  beneath  his  rough  coverlid  of  murderous 
stone. 

If  it  be  given  to  the  souls  of  mortals  to  visit  again 
the  scene  of  this  earth-life,  how  must  their  eyes, 
touched  with  the  finger  of  eternal  truth,  look  upon 
the  well-remembered  places.  Here  I  laughed,  while 
angels  wept.  In  this  place  I  wailed  aloud  and  refused 
to  look  upon  the  light,  and  for  what — nay,  I  have 

9 


130  PAUL. 

already  forgotten.  Yonder,  like  a  tortured  beast  of 
burden,  I  stumbled  and  fell,  cursing  the  God  that  gave 
me  breath. 

O  blind,  lost,  ignorant  and  demon-haunted  children 
of  men  !  O  pitying  God,  who  hath  from  the  begin 
ning  looked  down  upon  the  unutterable  ruin  and  woe 
which  sin  hath  wrought  in  the  earth  !  Angel  after 
angel  didst  thou  send  down  on  radiant  wing  into  the 
blackness,  and  the  blackness  devoured  them  and  gave 
no  sign,  but  at  the  last  came  He  that  shall  be  called 
the  Strong  Deliverer ;  He  that  shall  yet  draw  all  men 
unto  himself,  being  the  likeness  of  the  Father,  and  the 
express  image  of  his  person  ;  with  Him  came  light 
unto  the  world,  but  as  yet  the  darkness  comprehend- 
eth  it  not. 

Saul,  who  had  died  in  Christ  and  was  now  made 
alive  again,  entered  into  Jerusalem  where  in  that  other 
life  of  his  he  had  lived  and  walked  about,  long,  long 
ago — it  seemed  to  him.  In  a  maze  of  strange  thoughts 
he  looked  upon  the  familiar  streets,  upon  the  schools 
where  he  had  stood  up  in  all  the  pride  of  his  learning 
and  eloquence  to  argue  some  hotly-disputed  point  of 
the  Jewish  law ;  upon  the  synagogues  where  he  had 
presided  at  many  a  bloody  scourging ;  upon  the 
prisons  which  he  fancied  still  echoed  with  the  groans 
of  the  tortured  Nazarenes  ;  and  yonder  was  the  tem 
ple,  within  its  council  chamber  at  this  very  moment 
the  Sanhedrim  may  be  convened.  Should  he  enter  in, 
and  like  a  visitant  from  another  world  proclaim  the 
amazing  truths  of  heaven  ? 


SA  UL  IN  JEE  USALEM.  131 

"  Not  yet,"  he  said  within  himself.  "  I  must  seek 
the  disciples." 

No  one  knew  better  than  Saul  where  the  followers 
of  Jesus  were  to  be  found.  Into  this  humble  street  he 
had  entered  twice,  thrice,  bringing  sorrow  and  crying 
with  him  ;  from  the  courtyard  of  yonder  dwelling  he 
had  dragged  the  wife  and  mother,  leaving  the  little 
ones  wailing  behind. 

"  My  God  !     Canst  thou  forgive  me  ?" 

His  tear-dimmed  eyes  scarcely  discerned  the  two 
little  figures  which  were  playing  in  the  warm  dust  by 
the  shadow  of  the  wall.  At  the  sound  of  his  voice 
one  of  them  sprang  up.  "Jesus  save  us  !"  she  mur 
mured,  pushing  the  curls  out  of  her  startled  eyes. 
"  'Tis  the  man — the  awful  man  !  Come  quickly,  little 
brother,"  and  the  two  hurried  away  like  frightened 
mice. 

A  woman,  with  a  water-jar  poised  upon  her  head, 
turned  the  corner  by  the  fountain  singing  softly  to  her 
self;  her  eyes  lighted  upon  the  stranger.  "  God  of 
Abraham  !  he  is  not  after  all  dead  !"  The  jar  fell  with 
a  loud  crash  upon  the  stones  at  her  feet,  but  she  heeded 
it  not.  Catching  up  the  child  which  clung  to  the  fold 
of  her  robe,  she  too  fled  away  with  uneven  steps  in 
the  opposite  direction. 

Still  the  wayfarer  walked  slowly  forward,  wrapped 
in  his  half-painful,  half-joyful  thoughts.  "  I  have 
sinned,  alas  ! — I  am  forgiven,  thank  God  !  I  have 
grievously  injured — I  will  make  amends.  A  year  did 
I  persecute  the  Christ  and  his  elect — through  all  the 


132  PAUL. 

years  of  my  life  will  I  serve  him,  and  cherish  those 
whom  he  loved."  He  paused,  a  man  walking  rapidly 
was  coming  toward  him  down  the  street.  "  Canst 
thou  tell  me-; — "  he  began,  but  the  .man  broke  into  a 
run,  and  passed  him  with  averted  eyes.  Saul  looked 
after  him  a  moment  in  troubled  silence,  then  his  head 
dropped  upon  his  breast.  He  understood. 

"  I  should  have  brought  letters  from  the  brethren  in 
Damascus,"  he  said  with  a  sigh.  "  I  scarce  know 
what  to  do — Hold,  this  is  the  house  of  John,  I  will 
inquire  here." 

A  half-grown  lad  opened  the  door  in  answer  to  his 
knock.  "  Canst  thou  tell  me  if  either  of  the  sons  of 
Zebedee  are  within  ?"  The  boy  stared  at  his  ques 
tioner  with  open  mouth.  He  made  no  reply.  "  I  would 
see  the  man  John,  if  he  be  within,"  repeated  Saul,  pass 
ing  his  hand  across  his  burning  eyes.  For  the  first 
time  he  became  aware  that  he  was  wearied  almost  to 
the  verge  of  exhaustion,  and  that  he  had  tasted  neither 
food  nor  water  for  many  hours.  "  May  I  enter?"  he 
asked  humbly. 

"Who  is  it?"  queried  a  woman's  shrill  voice  from 
the  courtyard ;  a  decisive  footfall  followed  the  voice. 
"  Who  art  thou,  and  what  dost  thou  want  ?  Stand  out 
of  the  way,  Marcus,  till  I  shall  see,"  and  the  speaker 
laid  hold  upon  the  door  with  a  threatening  air.  "  I 
know  who  thou  art,  Jew,"  she  continued  raising  her 
voice,  "  but  there  is  no  one  in  this  house  who  believes 
on  the  Nazarene ;  my  husband  is  a  Roman." 

"  Where  then  is  John,  who  formerly  lived  here  ?" 


SA  UL  IN  JEB  USALEM.  133 

said  Saul  with  a  shadow  of  his  old  authoritative  man 
ner. 

The  woman  laughed  aloud  and  tossed  her  head. 
"  Dost  thou  ask  me  that  question  ?  By  the  gods,  there 
is  no  one  who  should  know  better  than  thou  thyself." 
With  that  she  shut  the  door  in  his  face. 

The  wayfarer  turned  away.  "  I  will  go,"  he  said, 
"to  their  synagogue."  Then  straightway  he  remem 
bered  that  one  of  the  first  acts  in  his  reign  of  perse 
cution  had  been  to  destroy  the  humble  edifice  in  which 
the  Nazarenes  were  wont  to  gather.  "  A  stronghold 
of  iniquity,"  he  had  called  it,  "a  breeding-place  of 
foul  heresies."  A  sudden  faintness  overpowered  him, 
and  he  sank  heavily  upon  a  doorstep  near  at  hand,  that 
he  might  recover  himself.  "  It  is  just,"  he  murmured, 
"  just.  Nay,  I  must  yet  drain  to  the  dregs  the  poi 
soned  cup  which  I  have  forced  upon  innocent  lips." 
He  sat  there  a  long  time  thinking  and  praying,  till  at 
last  somewhat  refreshed,  he  arose  and  went  on.  It 
was  growing  dark  now  in  the  narrow  streets,  and  he 
was  conscious  of  a  feeling  of  thankfulness  because  of 
this.  Pausing  before  a  little  stall  whereon  cakes  of 
bread,  and  white  and  purple  figs  were  displayed  for  sale, 
he  laid  a  coin  before  the  vendor. 

"Sit  down  whilst  thou  art  eating,"  said  the  man 
hospitably  enough,  pushing  two  of  the  leathery  cakes 
and  a  handful  of  fruit  toward  his  customer.  "Water? 
Yes,  there  is  water  in  the  jar  there ;  but  I  must  have 
another  farthing  if  thou  drink.  'Tis  no  easy  task  to 
fetch  the  jar  from  the  fountain  thrice  a  day. — No 


134  PAUL. 

matter  if  thou  hast  it  not,  drink  if  thou  wilt ;  thou  hast 
the  look  of  an  honest  man.  Thou  hast  traveled  far, 
perhaps?" 

"  I  have  traveled  far,  and  I  have  learned  many  won 
derful  things,"  answered  Saul  gravely,  "but  most 
wonderful  of  all  things  in  this  thirsty  world,  it  seemeth 
to  me,  is  a  fountain  of  living  water,  that  floweth  for 
every  one  that  would  drink — and  that  without  money 
and  without  price." 

"  There  are  such  fountains  in  this  very  city  of  Jerusa 
lem,"  cried  the  merchant  boastfully  ;  "  if  one  can  learn 
nothing  more  wonderful  by  travel,  what  need,  say  I,  to 
blister  one's  feet." 

"But  there  is  also  bread  which  came  down  from 
heaven,"  continued  Saul  steadily,  "on  the  which  he 
that  is  hungry  may  feed  and  faint  no  more." 

"Why  then  buy  of  my  loaves?"  asked  the  other 
with  a  short  laugh  and  a  sidelong  glance  at  his  cus 
tomer.  "  I  once  heard  talk  of  the  like — a  long  time 
ago,"  he  added  meditatively,  "  when  the  man  from 
Galilee  fed  five  thousand  people  in  the  fields  upon  five 
barley  loaves  and  two  small  fishes.  I  saw  the  thing 
done  moreover,  and  tasted  the  bread  myself.  By  the 
ark  of  the  covenant,  that  were  a  marvel  worth  the 
telling  !  How  the  man  accomplished  the  thing  I  know 
not ;  'twas  a  pity  they  killed  him  ;  he  wrought  no  ill 
to  any  living  mortal,  and  what  an  one  to  have  in  the 
city  in  case  of  a  siege  or  a  plague — for  he  could  also 
heal  all  manner  of  diseases." 

"Thou  art  a  believer?" 


SAUL  IN  JERUSALEM.  135 

The  man  pushed  back  his  turban  and  wiped  his 
forehead  with  the  corner  of  his  robe.  '•  A  warm  even 
ing,"  he  remarked,  shifting  his  position  a  little.  "  I 
cannot  well  abide  the  heat  because  of  an  ailment  in 
my  head.  Wilt  thou  eat  another  cake  ?  thou  art 
welcome  if  thou  wilt,  since  to-morrow  they  will  be 
stale." 

"  I  have  satisfied  my  need,  but  I  thank  you,  good 
friend. — Thou  wast  speaking  of  the  Nazarene ;  didst 
thou  believe  on  him?" 

"The  man  had  some  compact  or  other  with  the 
powers  of  the  air,"  answered  the  merchant  shrugging 
his  shoulders,  "  else  how  could  he  have  worked  his 
miracles.  But  I  am  not  one  of  the  Nazarenes — no, 
no.  I  had  enough  of  that  the  year  after  the  man 
Jesus  was  slain,  when  a  great  persecution  broke  out 
against  them  that  professed  to  believe  on  him.  I  had 
consorted  with  them  myself  for  a  time,  since  they  gave 
away  money  and  food  freely  to  every  one  that  asked — 
a  good  thing  for  a  poor  man  with  a  large  family.  But 
all  that  was  put  a  stop  to,  and  scourgings,  prisons,  and 
even  stonings  were  on  a  sudden  meted  out  to  them  at 
the  hand  of  one  Saul  of  Tarsus.  I  had  no  stomach 
for  such  things,  and  I  soon  left  them." 

Saul  sighed.  "  Knowest  thou  not  that  thou  mightest 
have  laid  up  for  thyself  eternal  glory,  hadst  thou  re 
mained  faithful  ?" 

"  Sayest  thou  so  ?  Thou  also  art  one  of  them  per 
chance.  There  is  one  thing  that  I  do  know,  and  that 
right  well ;  'tis  this,  a  live  man  is  as  much  better  than 


136  PAUL. 

a  dead  one,  as  a  full  belly  is  better  than  an  empty.  I 
should  have  been  dead — or  as  good  as  dead,  and  what 
glory  or  profit  can  there  be  in  the  grave  ?" 

"  There  is  a  life  beyond  the  grave  for  all  them  that 
believe  on  the  ascended  One." 

"  So  they  say,  so  they  say,"  cried  the  merchant, 
somewhat  impatiently.  "  But  I  know  not  how  we 
shall  be  assured  of  it."  Spying  two  men  approaching 
he  lifted  up  his  voice — 

"  Fresh  sweet  figs  !  Fresh-baked  loaves  !  Come 
ye,  buy  and  eat.  Buy  of  an  honest  man,  that  ye  faint 
not  by  the  way.  Fresh  sweet  figs  ! — honey  sweet  and 
wet  with  the  dews  of  heaven  !  Fresh-baked  loaves  ! 
Come  buy  and  eat !" 

One  of  the  strangers  paused  at  the  sound  of  the 
shrill  summons,  and  approaching  the  stall  stooped  to 
inspect  the  wares.  "  Fresh  figs,  sayest  thou  ?  Give 
me  a  farthing's  worth,  good  merchant.  For  the  little 
ones,"  he  added  with  a  mellow  laugh,  turning  to  his 
companion. 

"Ay!"  replied  the  other  with  a  shrug,  "thou  art 
ever  thinking  of  the  children." 

"  Did  not  the  Master  say,  '  Of  such  is  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  ?'  And  also,  that  if  we  ourselves  would 
enter  in  we  must  become  as  little  children.  'Tis  a 
good  thing  to  think  much  of  the  little  ones.  But 
come,  let  us  make  haste  or  the  preaching  will  have 
begun." 

The  merchant  looked  after  the  two  as  they  went 
away.  "  Those  be  Nazarenes,"  he  said  with  a  wave  of 


SA  UL  IN  JER  USALEM.  137 

his  hand ;  "  harmless  enough,  mayhap,  but  touched 
with  a  certain  madness  one  and  all ;  now  I  could  tell 
thee — "  he  paused  with  his  mouth  half  open,  then 
laughed  under  his  breath.  "  By  the  beard  of  my 
father,  the  fellow  is  off  after  them  like  an  arrow  from 
the  bow ;  'tis  a  good  thing  to  have  a  cool  head  and  a 
shrewd  judgment  in  these  times — yes,  and  a  long  eye 
for  the  future.  As  it  was  with  the  master,  so  is  it  like 
to  be  with  the  disciples ;  and  God  knoweth  the  man 
came  to  no  good  end. — Fresh  sweet  figs !  white  like 
milk,  and  purple  as  the  dawn  !  Fresh-baked  loaves, 
brown  and  crisp.  Come  buy  !  Come  buy  !" 

The  Nazarenes  had  reached  the  corner  of  the  street 
ere  Saul  overtook  them.  He  touched  one  of  them  on 
the  shoulder.  "  A  word  with  thee,  good  sir,"  he  said, 
his  voice  trembling  a  little  in  his  anxiety. 

The  man  to  whom  he  had  spoken  turned  quickly. 
"What  will  thou,  friend?"  he  said,  fixing  his  grave 
eyes  upon  Saul. 

The  red  glow  of  the  evening  sky  shone  full  upon 
him  as  he  stood  thus,  and  Saul  instinctively  drew  back 
into  the  shadow  of  the  wall. 

"  A  beggar  !"  quoth  the  other  with  an  impatient  ges 
ture.  "But  I  have  nothing  to  give,  and  we  may  not 
tarry." 

"Sir,  I  am  not  a  beggar,"  said  Saul  boldly,  "save 
as  I  crave  from  thee  love  and  fellowship  in  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  for  truly  there  is  naught  else  upon  earth 
that  I  desire.  Look  steadfastly  upon  me,"  he  con 
tinued,  turning  his  face  upward  toward  the  rosy  sky, 


138  PA  UL, 

"and  behold  Saul  of  Tarsus,  aforetime  the  perse 
cutor  of  them  that  loved  Jesus.  Not  content  with 
making  havoc  of  the  flock  in  Jerusalem,  I  was  pursu 
ing  them  that  believed  even  unto  strange  cities.  But 
thanks  be  to  God  for  the  riches  of  his  grace  and  glory, 
I  was  not  suffered  to  continue  in  my  madness,  for  even 
in  the  way  as  I  journeyed — being  come  nigh  unto  Da 
mascus  at  the  noon-tide  hour — suddenly  there  shone 
from  heaven  a  great  light,  and  I  fell  to  the  earth  and 
heard  a  voice  saying  unto  me,  '  Saul,  Saul,  why  perse- 
cutest  thou  me  ?'  and  I  answered,  Who  art  thou  ? 
And  the  Lord  said,  '  I  am  Jesus  whom  thou  perse- 
cutest  ;  it  is  hard  for  thee  to  kick  against  the  pricks.' 
Afterward  he  commanded'  me  to  arise  and  go  into  the 
city,  where  also  I  remained  without  sight,  neither  eat 
ing  nor  drinking  for  the  space  of  three  days — Nay, 
hear  me,  I  pray  thee  to  the  end  !"  For  the  two  men 
had  drawn  back,  and  were  regarding  him  with  cold 
suspicious  looks. 

"  Dost  thou  not  believe  me  ?"  he  cried  passionately. 
"  Did  not  your  Master — nay,  my  Master  also — did  he 
not  declare  that  he  could  save  unto  the  uttermost  ? 
And  why  dost  thou  doubt  the  power  of  his  grace  for 
even  such  an  one  as  I." 

"A  strange  story,"  said  one  of  his  listeners  hesi 
tatingly.  "  I  would  fain  believe  it,  but — " 

"  Over-strange  to  be  true,"  said  the  other,  turning 
away  with  an  air  of  decision.  "  Either  a  devil  hath 
entered  into  the  man  for  the  purpose  of  deceiving  the 
elect,  or — "  and  he  lowered  his  voice  to  a  whisper, 


SA  UL  IN  JER  USALEM.  139 

"  he  doth  feign  to  be  one  of  us  that  he  may  the  better 
entrap  us." 

"  I  had  not  thought  of  that,"  said  his  companion, 
turning  his  troubled  eyes  upon  Saul,  who  stood  with 
drooping  head  as  if  awaiting  sentence. 

"  Come,  let  us  leave  him  ;  we  can  speak  of  the  mat 
ter  to  the  brethren,  but  who  are  we,  that  we  should 
receive  him,  and  by  so  doing  bring  fresh  distress  upon 
the  innocent?  Go  thy  way,"  he  continued,  raising  his 
voice,  "  until  we  shall  have  reported  this  matter  which 
thou  hast  declared  unto  us  to  them  which  are  in  au 
thority." 

"  But  why  may  I  not  go  with  thee,  that  I  may  speak 
for  myself?"  said  Saul  eagerly.  "  What  hast  thou  to 
fear  at  my  hands  ?  behold,  I  have  spoken  truly  unto 
thee  of  all  that  hath  befallen  me." 

"  So  also  did  we  speak  truly  unto  thee  in  days  past, 
and  for  the  truth  of  God  thou  didst  recompense  us 
with  scourgings  and  chains  ;  forty  stripes  save  one  re 
ceived  I  at  thy  command — not  once  only,  but  twice, 
thrice,  and  my  wife — Nay,  I  cannot  speak  further  with 
thee,  thou  art  hateful  in  mine  eyes.  Get  thee  gone." 

"  For  the  love  of  the  crucified  One — " 

"  Nay,  we  will  none  of  thee.  Go  thou  unto  thine 
own."  And  the  two  strode  rapidly  away,  not  without 
many  a  fearful  backward  glance  at  the  lonely  figure  of 
Saul,  who  stood  still  in  the  place  where  they  had  left 
him,  his  face  bowed  upon  his  hands. 

An  hour  later  they  spoke  to  the  brethren  of  the 
matter.  "The  man  Saul,"  said  they,  "who  formerly 


140  PAUL. 

scourged,  imprisoned,  and  put  to  death  divers  of  our 
number,  and  with  the  rest  dealt  even  as  the  strong 
wind  dealeth  with  the  chaff  of  the  threshing-floor, 
hath  returned,  and  we  have  had  speech  with  him.  A 
strange  tale  told  he  us  of  a  heavenly  vision,  whereby 
he  was  rebuked  and  turned  from  the  error  of  his  ways. 
He  would  have  come  with  us  to  this  place,  but  we  suf 
fered  him  not,  fearing  lest  it  should  be  a  device  of  our 
enemies  to  spy  upon  us  in  our  worship." 

And  of  them  that  listened  was  there  found  not  one 
to  speak  any  good  word  for  Saul  ;  for  they  were  all 
afraid  of  him.  But  as  they  talked  together,  Joseph, 
called  also  Barnabas,  which  is  being  interpreted,  the 
Son  of  Consolation,  came  among  them,  and  to  him 
they  repeated  their  story. 

And  when  he  heard  it  he  praised  God  with  a  loud 
voice.  "  Behold,"  he  said  to  them,  "  I  have  known 
this  man  from  his  youth  ;  he  hath  ever  feared  God, 
truth  and  verity  also  hath  his  tongue  spoken.  When  he 
persecuted  them  that  believed,  it  was  because  the  light 
had  not  been  revealed  unto  him  ;  terrible  was  he  in 
his  blindness  even  as  the  strong  man  Samson,  who 
also  destroyed  and  spared  not,  but  now  shall  he  greatly 
glorify  the  name  of  the  ascended  One."  Straightway 
he  went  forth  to  seek  Saul,  and  when  after  nearly  an 
hour  he  found  him  at  the  place  where  the  cross  of 
Christ  had  stood — which  place  is  called  Golgotha,  he 
brought  him  to  Peter  and  James  and  declared  unto  them 
how  that  he  had  seen  the  Lord  in  the  way,  and  that 
he  had  spoken  to  him ;  and  how  he  had  preached 


SA  UL  IN  JER  USALEM.  141 

boldly  in  Damascus  in  the  name  of  Jesus.  Then  they 
received  him  with  gladness. 

And  he  was  with  the  brethren  certain  days  in 
Jerusalem,  speaking  boldly  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  in  the  synagogues  of  the  Grecians,  where 
also  he  himself  in  former  days  had  striven  to  over 
throw  the  young  man  Stephen.  Moreover,  he  was 
not  afraid,  but  the  rather  rejoiced  when  he  heard 
that  he  had  made  enemies  amongst  them,  and  that 
these  were  minded  to  accomplish  his  death.  "  It  is 
just  that  I  die  in  this  place  and  for  this  cause,"  he 
said. 

But  Peter  reasoned  with  him,  "  It  is  not  expedient 
that  thou  die  for  the  faith  at  this  time,  for  behold  the 
fields  are  white  to  the  harvest,  but  laborers  be  few. 
Go,  therefore,  in  peace." 

That  same  day  Saul  was  in  the  temple  praying,  for 
he  desired  with  a  great  desire  to  remain  in  Jerusalem. 
And  as  he  prayed,  all  that  was  earthly  faded  from  be 
fore  his  eyes.  He  saw  again  the  form  which  had 
appeared  to  him  on  the  Damascus  road,  again  he 
heard  the  voice  which  had  once  smitten  him  to  the 
earth  in  an  agony  of  contrition — 

"  Make  haste,  and  get  thee  quickly  out  of  Jerusa 
lem  ;  for  they  will  not  receive  thy  testimony  concern 
ing  me?" 

Then  did  Saul  answer  out  of  the  fullness  of  his  heart, 
"  Lord,  they  know  that  I  imprisoned  and  beat  in  every 
synagogue  them  that  believed  on  thee  ;  and  when  the 
blood  of  thy  martyr  Stephen  was  shed,  I  also  was 


142  PAUL. 

standing  by,  and  consenting  unto  his  death,  and  kept 
the  raiment  of  them  that  slew  him." 

"  Depart !"  commanded  the  solemn  voice,  "  for  I 
will  send  thee  far  hence  to  the  Gentiles." 

When  he  was  come  to  himself  he  returned  to  the 
brethren  and  told  them  of  the  vision.  And  certain  of 
them  accompanied  him  as  far  as  Caesarea  ;  from  thence 
he  went  to  Tarsus.* 

*  We  have  no  means  of  knowing  what  took  place  during  this 
period  of  the  Apostle's  life.  It  is  only  known  that  he  remained 
in  Cilicia  for  a  number  of  years,  the  length  of  time  being  vari 
ously  estimated  according  to  the  date  of  his  conversion.  This 
date  is  not  exactly  known,  but  the  year  37  A.  D.  is  generally 
accepted  by  authorities. 


HEEODIAS.  143 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

HERODIAS. 

THE  city  of  Caesarea-Philippi  was  in  full  gala  dress, 
every  road  and  by-way  leading  to  the  open 
gates  was  thronged  with  sightseers.  Haughty  Roman 
officials  caracoling  on  their  mettlesome  Arabians,  keen- 
eyed  inhabitants  of  the  desert,  mounted  on  swift  drom 
edaries,  turbaned  Hebrews,  ambling  decorously  on 
slow-stepping  mules  as  sleek  and  solemn-looking  as 
themselves,  mingled  with  the  still  greater  throng  of 
pedestrians,  of  almost  every  nation  under  heaven, 
which  was  crowding  into  the  little  mountain  city. 
Eight  thousand  feet  above  their  heads  towered  Her- 
mon,  his  ancient  crest  white  with  the  snows  of  count 
less  winters  ;  his  scarred  and  rugged  shoulders  veiled 
in  mystic  robes  of  floating  mist,  pierced  with  the  flash 
ing  splendor  of  many  a  milk-white  torrent.  But  the 
age-long  miracle  of  eternal  snow,  of  unfailing  flood, 
of  evanescent  vapor,  attracted  no  second  glance  on 
this  morning  of  all  others. 

"The  day  will  be  fair,"  quoth  the  weather-wise, 
wagging  their  heads  in  the  face  of  the  mountain.  "  So 
much  the  better  for  us."  Then  they  fastened  their 
eyes  the  more  eagerly  on  the  gay  banners  which 
streamed  and  fluttered  from  every  tower  and  battle- 


144  PAUL. 

merited  wall  of  the  city.  Within  the  gates,  the  houses, 
theaters  and  temples  were  decked  out  with  a  wondrous 
profusion  of  wreaths  and  garlands,  intermingled  with 
gay  hangings  of  scarlet,  of  blue  and  of  yellow ;  the 
streets  resounded  to  the  tread  of  marching  columns 
and  the  loud  cheerful  blare  of  golden-throated  trumpets. 

All  day  long  in  the  great  square  before  the  splendid 
temple  of  Augustus,  liveried  servants  stood  in  long  lines 
and  distributed  to  the  people  heaps  of  loaves,  moun~ 
tains  of  roasted  flesh,  cheeses  without  number,  fruits 
without  limit.  As  for  the  central  fountain,  it  no  longer 
gushed  the  pure  sparkling  water  of  the  mountain,  for 
by  some  cunning  device  it  was  made  to  pour  forth  red 
wine.  About  it  surged  a  throng  of  revelers  who  drank 
till  they  could  drink  no  more,  lifting  their  dripping 
mouths  from  its  purple  flood  to  shout  themselver  hoarso 
in  honor  of  the  founder  of  the  feast. 

"  The  king  !  The  king  !  All  hail  to  Agrippa,  the 
king — the  king !" 

In  honor  of  the  king  also  were  magnificent  shows 
in  all  the  theaters,  and  not  so  much  as  a  farthing's 
charge  to  see  the  best  of  them.  Nor  were  the  temples 
forgotten  ;  with  a  splendid  impartiality  sacrifices  were 
smoking  on  Roman  and  Syrian  altars  alike,  and  at 
Jerusalem,  it  was  rumored,  in  the  great  temple  of  the 
Hebrews,  no  fewer  than  a  thousand  beasts  were  to  be 
slain  on  this  day  of  rejoicing. 

In  the  midst  of  the  banqueting  hall  of  his  palace, 
surrounded  by  throngs  of  gaily-attired  courtiers,  was 
Agrippa  himself.  Arrayed  in  royal  purple,  his  dark 


HERODTAS.  145 

curls  bound  with  a  diadem  of  gold,  the  newly-made 
king  lay  at  his  ease  on  his  elevated  couch  surveying 
with  a  smile  of  triumph  the  scenes  of  revelry  about 
him.  By  his  side  reclined  his  wife,  the  fair  Cypros, 
her  delicate  face  flushed  with  joy  and  pride  ;  a  little 
below  and  at  the  right  hand  the  boy  Agrippa,  robed 
like  a  Roman  prince,  was  devoting  himself  to  the  deli 
cate  sweetmeats  and  fruits  with  all  the  zest  of  unac 
customed  appetite.  On  the  left  of  the  royal  couch 
reclined  a  magnificently-appareled  woman,  in  whose 
dark  jewel-like  eyes,  pale  olive  complexion  and  haughty 
aquiline  features  could  be  traced  a  sufficiently  strong 
resemblance  to  Agrippa  to  betray  their  kinship.  Her 
companion,  a  man  apparently  many  years  older  than 
herself,  played  with  the  grapes  upon  his  plate,  and 
from  time  to  time  addressed  a  remark  to  his  nephew, 
the  young  Agrippa. 

"Come,  princeling,"  he  said  languidly,  "drink  with 
me  now  to  the  health  of  the  Emperor,  Caius  Caesar, 
who  has  bestowed  upon  thee  all  these  good  things." 

"  Gladly  will  I  drink  to  the  emperor,"  cried  the  boy 
lifting  his  cup,  "  though  truth  to  tell,  I  like  him  far  off 
better  than  near  at  hand.  Yet  by  his  grace  I  also 
shall  be  king  one  day." 

"Thinkest  thou  so?"  said  Herod  Antipas  with  a 
half  sigh.  "  My  father  was  a  king,  yet  am  I  only  a 
governor." 

"The  more  fool  thou,"  murmured  the  woman  at 
his  side,  with  an  impatient  toss  of  the  head  which  set 
all  her  jewels  winking. 

10 


146  PAUL. 

"  Yet  hast  thou  not  failed  of  being  queen — who  art 
queen  of  my  soul,"  whispered  the  man  with  an  admir 
ing  glance  at  her  beautiful  face. 

"  Methinks  the  garland  of  pearls  we  sent  thee 
adorneth  the  fair  Herodias  even  as  drops  of  dew 
adorn  a  royal  rose,"  said  Agrippa  graciously,  turning 
his  flushed  face  upon  the  pair.  "  What  sayest  thou, 
my  Antipas?" 

"  Thou  hast  spoken  golden  words,  as  becometh  a 
king  and  one  favored  by  the  king  of  kings — the  great 
and  glorious  Caesar  ;  a  fairer  jewel  have  I  rarely  seen  ; 
'tis  worthy  to  adorn  a  queen  of  beauty." 

Herodias  raised  her  eyes  slowly  to  the  face  of 
Agrippa.  "  I  could  believe  that  I  dream,  brother  of 
mine,"  she  said  with  a  curl  of  her  red  lips,  "  Thou  a 
king — who  wert  of  late  but  a  beggar,  flying  before 
thine  enemies  like  a  withered  leaf  before  the  blasts  of 
winter  !  Thou  a  giver  of  jewels,  who — " 

"  Hold,  daughter  of  my  mother!"  said  Agrippa,  his 
eyes  flashing  dangerously.  "  Beware  lest  thou  speak 
words  of  which  thou  shalt  hereafter  repent.  The  past 
is  dead — Ay,  dead  as  that  just  man  whose  head  was 
served  up  to  thee  in  a  platter  at  thine  own  request,  a 
dainty  dish  for  a  dainty  princess." 

Herodias  shrugged  her  fair  shoulders  with  seeming 
indifference,  but  Antipas  grew  white  to  the  lips  as  if 
stung  by  some  unseen  lash  of  remembrance.  "  The 
man  was  just,"  he  cried,  "  but  he  had  spoken  words 
hard  to  be  forgiven  ;  besides  there  was  my  oath,  what 
could  I  do  ?" 


HERODIAS.  147 

Herodias  smiled  evilly.  "  There  was  also  my  oath," 
she  said,  languidly  adjusting  the  jewels  upon  her  round 
arms.  "  But  why  fatigue  ourselves  by  thinking  of  the 
fellow ;  he  was  a  fool,  and  he  perished  in  his  folly  ;  in 
like  manner  shall  other  fools  lose  the  air  from  their 
nostrils  and  become  for  lack  of  it — carrion."  She 
raised  her  eyes  suddenly  and  fixed  them  insolently 
upon  Agrippa.  "  Am  I  not  right,  my  royal  brother?" 

"Thou  art  as  ever  entirely  right,  princess,"  replied 
Agrippa  with  a  mocking  laugh.  "  I  drink  to  thee, 
charming  being,  blent  of  fire  and  snow,  and  endowed 
with  all  the  wit,  purity,  and  exalted  goodness  of  a 
daughter  of  the  gods." 

"  A  pretty  speech,  by  the  immortals  !"  exclaimed 
Antipas  complacently.  "  There  is  a  subtile  something 
in  the  air  of  Rome  that  refines  the  tongue,  lends  luster 
to  the  eye,  and — " 

"  Adds  perchance  a  coronet  where  none  appeared 
before,"  whispered  Herodias  in  his  ear.  "  I  pray  thee 
try  that  air,  my  lord,  that  thou  also  mayst  learn  the 
trick  by  which  a  beggar  may  be  made  a  king." 

"  I  like  not  the  air  of  Rome,"  observed  Cypros,  who 
had  hitherto  kept  silence,  albeit  a  look  of  anxiety 
had  crept  into  her  soft  eyes.  "  'Tis  heavy  with  dread  ; 
in  this  pure  air  of  the  mountains  one  can  draw  the 
breath  of  joy  and  freedom.  Taste  this  conserve  of 
pomegranates,  my  sister  ;  'twas  made,  they  tell  me,  by 
the  mountain  maids,  especially  to  grace  this  feast." 

"Then  beware  lest  it  contain  poison,"  said  Herodias 
harshly.  "  These  mountain  folk  are  little  used  of  late 


148  PAUL. 

to  the  glitter  of  a  crown,  and  they  love  it  perchance 
no  better  than  the  Alexandrians  when  it  rests  upon  the 
head  of  a  Jew." 

Agrippa  flushed  scarlet.  "  Since  when  hast  thou 
kept  a  spy  upon  our  movements  ?"  he  demanded. 

"  A  spy,  a  spy  ?"  repeated  Herodias  with  a  taunting 
laugh,  "  there  was  no  need  of  a  spy,  brother ;  all  the 
world  knows  how  thou  wast  welcomed  at  Alexandria, 
how  they  mocked  thee,  insulted  thee,  lampooned  thee 
in  every  square  and  theater.  How  they  seized  a  foul 
demoniac  from  the  mud  of  the  streets,  clothed  him 
with  a  footcloth,  crowned  him  with  a  papyrus  leaf,  and 
bowed  the  knee  before  him  crying,  '  Hail  Agrippa, 
Agrippa,  King  of  the  Jews  !'  ' 

"They  shall  yet  smart  for  it,"  hissed  Agrippa  from 
betwixt  his  teeth.  "  So  also  shall  the  short-sighted 
fool  Flaccus,  who  permitted  the  outrages." 

"Is  it  true  that  images  of  the  emperor  are  being 
erected  in  their  synagogues  ?"  said  Herod  Antipas 
with  a  languid  show  of  interest. 

"The  Alexandrians  demanded  it,"  replied  Agrippa, 
frowning,  "  only  that  they  might  accuse  the  Jews  of 
treason  should  they  refuse." 

"And  what  sayest  thou,  king,  should  these  Jews 
refuse  or  comply  with  the  decree  of  the  emperor  con 
cerning  the  worship  of  his  image  ?"  asked  Herodias 
suddenly,  raising  herself  upon  her  elbow  and  fixing 
her  brilliant  gaze  upon  the  face  of  the  speaker. 

Agrippa  glanced  at  the  lady  and  opened  his  lips  to 
reply,  then  he  looked  again,  and  a  scornful  smile  crept 


HERODIAS.  149 

into  his  eyes.  "The  emperor,"  he  said  deliberately, 
"is  too  truly  god-like  to  look  closely  at  the  worms 
which  crawl  so  far  beneath  him.  What  possible  differ 
ence  can  it  make  to  the  illustrious  Caius  whether  or 
not  his  image  be  adored  by  the  Jews  of  Alexandria?" 

"Thou  hast  not  answered  my  question." 

"  I  would  the  rather  ask  thee  one — which  also  thou 
shouldst  be  able  to  answer ;  is  it  better  to  enjoy  the 
little  one  possesses  with  a  pure  conscience,  or  to  grasp 
at  the  unattainable  and  fail  ?" 

"  'Tis  better  to  grasp  at  what  is  beyond,"  answered 
Herodias  defiantly,  "  than  to  loll  with  empty  hands  in 
inglorious  content.  The  beyond  is  seldom  the  unat 
tainable."  She  arose  from  her  place  and  with  a  low 
obeisance  swept  from  the  banqueting  hall,  superbly 
indifferent  to  the  following  eyes  of  the  assembled 
courtiers. 

"And  is  the  son  of  the  great  Herod  content  to  sit 
below  the  son  of  Aristobulus  at  meat?"  she  asked  her 
husband  an  hour  later,  when  the  two  were  alone  in 
their  apartments. 

"  Nay,  I  care  not,"  replied  Antipas  indifferently. 
"  Agrippa's  crown  is  but  an  empty  bauble  bestowed 
to  recompense  him  for  his  chain." 

"  He  is  a  king — a  king,  I  tell  thee,  a  favorite  of  the 
emperor  of  Rome,  and  he  will  yet  snatch  from  thee 
the  meagre  power  that  thou  hast  if  thou  bestir  not 
thyself  sharply.  Let  us  to  Rome  without  delay,  and 
there  shalt  thou  demand  thy  rights  at  the  hands  of 
Caius." 


150  PAUL. 

"My  rights?" 

"Thy  rights — yes,  a  crown,  and  the  extension  of 
thy  domain.  Why  shouldst  thou  not  receive  Judea  ?" 

Antipas  frowned  slightly  and  shook  his  head. 

"Thou  art  afraid  of  the  sea  perchance,"  sneered 
Herodias,  "  or  thou  art  thinking  of  the  feast  which 
king  Agrippa  may  serve  up  to  thee  to-morrow." 

"  Thou  art  mad  with  envy,  woman,  and  knowest  not 
what  thou  art  saying." 

"  Ay,  mad  enough  to  die  by  my  own  hand  if  thou 
be  not  king.  What,  can  I  endure  to  see  yonder 
woman,  who  of  late  was  a  pensioner  upon  our  bounty, 
a  crowned  queen,  whilst  I  am  nothing?" 

"  A  queen  !  what  is  it  to  be  such  a  queen  as  she  ? 
What  hath  she  that  thou  hast  not,  jewels,  robes,  palaces, 
a  tribe  of  waiting  women — which  of  all  these  things 
hast  not  thou?" 

"  I  have  not  a  crown.     I  will  have  a  crown." 

"  But  the  emperor  gives  not  crowns  for  the  asking, 
as  thou  wouldst  give  a  farthing  to  a  beggar.  Come, 
be  reasonable,  sweet  one,  thou  art  the  queen  of  my 
soul,  crowned  and  anointed.  Let  us  go  hence  and 
forget  that  Agrippa  is  other  than  a  homeless  disgraced 
wanderer." 

"  Think  not  to  turn  me  from  my  purpose  with  hon 
eyed  words.  Thou  knowest  me  well,  have  I  ever  yet 
forgotten  when  I  would  fain  remember?" 

"  By  the  immortal  gods,  no  ;  nor  yet  remembered 
when  thou  wouldst  forget.  Thou  art  indeed  queen  of 
my  destiny ;  'tis  vain  to  contend  against  thy  decrees." 


HERODIAS.  151 

"  And  if  it  be  so,  have  I  not  held  to  thy  lips  a  rich 
chalice  of  delights  ?"  murmured  Herodias,  laying  her 
delicate  hand  caressingly  upon  her  husband's  arm. 

Antipas  gazed  at  the  beautiful  face  so  near  his  own 
in  silence  for  a  moment,  then  he  dropped  his  eyes  to 
the  floor.  "  For  thee  I  have  made  a  deadly  enemy  of 
my  brother,"*  he  said  in  a  smothered  voice  ;  "for  thee 
I  thrust  forth  the  daughter  of  a  king  who  was  also  my 
lawful  wife  ;  for  thee  I  slew  John  Baptist,  the  man  of 
God  ;  and  shall  I  refuse  thee  this  bauble  ?  Nay,  I  will 
go  to  Rome,  that  I  may  ask  for  thee  a  crown,  and  if 
the  fates  have  willed  that  I  return  not — thou  wilt  still 
be  beautiful  and  young — it  will  not  matter." 

*  Matt.  xiv.  3-11. 


152  PAUL. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

CAIUS,    THE    GOD. 

"  T  TE  is  asleep  then,  my  Codrus  ?" 

JL  JL  "  For  the  moment,  yes — thanks  be  to  the 
gods — if  thou  canst  call  a  drunken  stupor  sleep.  He 
sleeps  no  more  save  as  his  eyelids  fall  for  a  moment 
from  exhaustion." 

"  Since  his  illness  he  hath  strangely  altered,  both  in 
his  temper  and  in  his  habits.  Can  it  be  that  the  envi 
ous  gods  have  smitten  him  ?" 

Codrus  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "Were  there 
gods  in  heaven,  my  Narcissus,  think  you  that  our 
illustrious  master  would  be  suffered  to  exist?  He 
alone  is  god ;  he  hath  declared  it ;  we  must  needs  be 
lieve  it.  Yesterday  he  spit  upon  the  image  of  Jupiter ; 
the  day  before  he  smote  Diana  on  the  mouth ;  to 
morrow  he  will  himself  be  Apollo  and  receive  the 
homage  of  the  people.  Of  late  his  divinity  hath 
grown  too  big  for  his  mortal  frame,  hence  these  frenzied 
rollings  of  the  eyes,  these  midnight  mutterings,  this 
strange  thirst  for  blood  which  he  bids  stream  from 
noble  veins  in  his  very  presence." 

"Thou  wert  at  the  banquet  last  night?" 

"  I  stood  behind  his  couch." 

"And  saw?" 

"  Strange  sights,  my  Narcissus.     It  thundered  while 


CAWS,  THE  GOD.  153 

the  nightingale's  tongues  were  being  passed,  the  em 
peror  leapt  from  his  couch  in  a  frenzy,  and  lifting  his 
hand  to  heaven  rebuked  Jupiter  for  daring  to  hurl  his 
thunderbolts  whilst  he,  Caius,  was  supping." 

"  Did  the  storm  cease  ?" 

"  Did  it  cease  ?  Where  wast  thou,  dullard,  that  thou 
dost  ask  the  question  ?" 

"  By  my  faith,  I  was  asleep.  A  mortal  must  some 
times  sleep." 

"  Even  as  he  spoke  another  bolt  fell  with  crashing 
and  thunderous  sound,  seemingly  in  our  very  midst. 
The  cups  trembled  on  the  board  ;  the  women  shrieked 
with  fright.  '  A  libation  !  a  libation !'  they  cried, 
'  pour  a  libation  to  Jupiter  that  he  slay  us  not  in  his 
wrath  !'  '  A  libation  shall  be  poured,  fair  ladies,' 
said  the  emperor.  He  beckoned  to  the  officer  who 
stood  on  guard,  and  whispered  in  his  ear,  afterward 
he  bade  me  hand  him  his  sandals,  since  he  would 
eat  no  more  till  the  sacrifice  should  be  made ;  the 
others  commanded  he  to  remain  where  they  were. 
'  Especially  the  ladies/  he  said,  '  at  whose  request  this 
libation  is  to  be  made.'  He  walked  up  and  down  the 
portico,  laughing  to  himself  and  muttering,  till  presently 
the  officer  returned  bringing  with  him  three  wretches 
bound  hand  and  foot ;  these  crawled  to  the  feet  of  the 
emperor  shrieking  for  mercy  ;  he  ordered  the  soldiers 
to  tear  from  the  robes  of  the  women  pieces  large 
enough  to  gag  the  prisoners." 

"  And  they  suffered  it  ?" 

"  What  else,  my  Narcissus ;    the  god  had  decreed 


154  PAUL. 

it !  The  prisoners  were  gagged,  as  I  have  said,  after 
ward  they  were  beheaded  before  the  whole  company, 
the  emperor  standing  so  near  that  his  feet  were  bathed 
in  the  rushing  torrent  of  their  blood." 

"  Hark  !  I  hear  a  sound  from  within  ;  he  is  awake." 

"  Yes,  and  the  dawn  is  breaking ;  order  Cheridus 
to  bring  the  posset." 

The  emperor  lay  upon  his  back  staring  up  into  the 
folds  of  the  purple  canopy  above  his  head,  he  did  not 
stir  as  Codrus  entered  on  noiseless  foot  but  he  seemed 
nevertheless  to  be  aware  of  his  presence.  "  Is  Macro 
without?"  he  asked  in  a  querulous  voice. 

"A  vision  of  the  night  perchance  yet  lingers  with 
the  majesty  of  the  universe,"  responded  the  chief  offi 
cer  of  the  bed-chamber.  "  Macro  is  indeed  without, 
in  that  he  no  longer — " 

"  True,  he  is  dead  ;  I  killed  him.  I  had  forgotten, 
his  wife  Ennia  also,  and  Marcus  Silanus.  Ha,  ha ! 
A  merry  conceit  was  that  of  last  night.  My  brother, 
Jupiter,  will  be  pleased  with  such  honors.  As  for  the 
silly  sheep  who  bleated  for  a  libation,  their  mouths 
will  be  shut  another  time.  Come,  I  must  be  stirring ; 
quick,  my  robe,  my  sandals.  But  there  is  one  thing, 
slave,  that  I  will  not  bear,  hear  it ;  I  will  not  again 
endure  the  presence  of  that  grinning  fool,  Tiberius 
Gemellus ;  I  always  hated  him.  All  night  he  hath 
been  in  my  chamber,  peeping  from  behind  the  cur 
tains,  staring  and  grimacing  like  the  witless  clown  that 
he  is.  Let  him  be  sought  and  plunged  into  the  deep 
est  dungeon  of  the  Tullianum." 


CAWS,  THE  GOD.  155 

Codrus  grew  pale  and  glanced  with  an  involuntary 
shudder  at  the  voluminous  folds  of  purple  drapery 
which  shaded  the  imperial  couch.  "  The  wine,  per 
chance,"  he  said  hesitatingly,  "  which  the  supreme 
being  of  the  world  drank  last  night  hath  caused  visions 
of  unhappy  import  to  visit  the  royal  pillow.  Surely  a 
humble  worshiper  of  the  living  deity  may  wish  all 
enemies  of  Rome  to  be  even  as  is  the  young  man 
Tiberius  Gemellus." 

"Thou  dost  mean  that  he  is  already  dead?"  said 
Caius  quickly,  fixing  his  red  eyes  upon  the  cringing 
menial.  "  By  my  faith,  I  had  supposed  so,  until  last 
night.  Well,  it  was  a  dream  then.  Let  the  immortals 
beware  in  future  how  they  choose  the  night  visions  of 
the  emperor  of  Rome. — Ah,  stay,  the  merchant  who 
furnished  last  night's  wine,  let  him  be  drowned  in  a 
cask  of  his  accursed  dream-breeding  liquor.  See  to  it. 
And  now  command  Helicon  and  Apelles  to  breakfast 
with  us.  They  shall  drive  these  foul  visions  of  the 
night  afar  into  oblivion  and  darkness." 

Codrus  bit  his  lip  in  silent  anger.  What,  Helicon, 
a  low  Egyptain  slave,  and  Apelles,  a  second-rate  actor, 
to  breakfast  with  the  emperor  where  he  must  serve  ? 
For  despite  his  freedom  and  his  rapidly-growing  wealth, 
it  suited  the  emperor  to  employ  him  about  his  presence 
in  the  most  menial  capacities. 

"  What  hast  thou  to  tell  me  this  morning  concern 
ing  the  Alexandrian  riots  ?"  demanded  Caius,  when 
the  three  were  dallying  writh  the  spiced  fish  dressed 
with  peacock's  brains  which  formed  one  of  the  princi- 


156  PAUL. 

pal  dishes  at  the  morning  meal.  "  Look  you  at  my 
stockings,"  he  added,  suddenly  thrusting  out  his  mis 
shapen  legs,  "  gold  thread  embroidered  with  pearls  ;  a 
pretty  conceit,  say  you  not  so  ?  I  am  minded  to  per 
sonate  Venus  to  day." 

"A  glorious  thought  !"  exclaimed  Helicon,  casting 
down  his  eyes. 

"Ay,  why  not,"  pursued  the  emperor,  "in  a  robe 
of  silver  gauze  bound  with  a  girdle  of  emeralds,  shall 
I  not  be  radiant — divine  ?  But  Cerberus  devour  the 
gods  and  goddesses  !  there  is  something  more  im 
portant  on  hand,  these  Alexandrian  Jews  now,  what 
of  them?" 

"  They  still  refuse  to  pay  divine  honors  to  the  lord 
of  the  whole  earth,"  replied  Apelles  with  an  air  of 
mingled  grief  and  indignation.  "  They  have  suffered 
for  their  obstinacy,  it  is  true,  in  that  they  have  been 
driven  from  their  possessions,  burnt  alive,  tortured, 
compelled  to  eat  swine's  flesh,  and — " 

"  I  know  all  this,"  growled  Caius  frowning,  "  and 
it  pleaseth  me  not :  the  Jews  are  peaceable  and  indus 
trious,  valuable  as  money-getters  and  traders ;  the 
prosperity  of  the  empire  doth  depend,  perchance,  on 
these  same  Jews.  I  have  already  commanded  that 
Flaccus,  who  hath  inflicted  upon  them  these  sufferings 
contrary  to  the  law,  shall  be  banished.  Nay,  he  shall 
die,  since  if  he  live  he  may  employ  his  breath  in  praying 
for  my  destruction — I  have  heard  the  like."  He  paused, 
his  head  sank  forward  upon  his  breast.  His  guests 
exchanged  stealthy  glances  of  terror  and  dismay 


CAIUS,  THE  GOD.  157 

"  I  should  not  have  spoken  of  these  matters,"  ven 
tured  Helicon  at  length,  "  save  for  a  horrible  thing 
which  came  to  my  ears  only  this  morning." 

"A  horrible  thing?  then  relate  it,  by  all  means," 
said  the  emperor,  bringing  his  wandering  gaze  to  a 
standstill  upon  the  speaker. 

"  The  Jews  of  Jamnia,  divine  Caius,  seeing  an  altar 
which  the  Romans  had  erected  to  thy  honor  and 
glory,  tore  it  down  and  trampled  the  fragments  under 
foot." 

"What  art  thou  saying  !"  shrieked  Caius,  springing 
to  his  feet.  "  Are  the  dogs  not  satisfied  with  refusing 
me  the  honors  which  are  my  due,  that  they  also  de 
stroy  the  altars  which  pious  hands  have  erected?" 

"It  is  too  true,  alas!"  sighed  Helicon,  rolling  up 
his  eyes  sanctimoniously,  and  affecting  not  to  notice 
that  the  emperor,  finding  words  too  feeble  for  his  pur 
pose,  was  smashing  the  delicate  cups  and  crystal 
dishes  which  adorned  the  table. 

"  Fool !"  shouted  Caius,  his  eyes  starting  from  his 
head,  "  why  dost  thou  lie  there  like  a  sated  beast 
whilst  thy  god  is  displeasured?"  he  followed  this 
question  with  the  contents  of  his  brimming  goblet, 
then  seeing  the  sudden  change  which  swept  over  the 
face  of  his  victim  as  he  gasped  and  spluttered  help 
lessly  he  burst  into  a  fit  of  discordant  laughter. 

"  I  was  about  to  suggest,  glorious  majesty,"  said 
Helicon  wiping  his  face  with  what  composure  he  could 
muster,  "  that  there  is  a  way  of  punishing  these  vile 
Jews  and  at  the  same  time  of  securing  to  thyself  the 


158  PAUL. 

rights  of  thy  godhead,  and  that  is  to  place  within  the 
shrine  of  their  temple  at  Jerusalem  a  colossal  image 
of  thyself  with  the  attributes  of  divinity.  To  Jerusa 
lem  all  the  tribes  of  the  Jewish  nation  resort  for  wor 
ship,  and  continual  sacrifices  burn  upon  its  altars." 

"  In  Jerusalem — in  the  temple  !"  exclaimed  Caius, 
with  the  malignant  distortion  of  his  visasre  which 

o  o 

passed  for  a  smile.  "  By  the  shades  of  my  fathers  !  it 
is  an  inspiration  from  Olympus.  What  have  they  in 
their  shrine  which  must  be  removed  to  make  room  for 
my  image  ?  It  shall  be  destroyed  at  once,  and  the  p'ace 
thereof  remain  empty  until  the  colossus  be  wrought." 

"  I  am  told  that  there  is  nothing  in  their  shrine,  di 
vine  majesty,"  replied  the  slave.  "  Tis  an  empty 
dark  close-curtained  cell  in  which  they  believe  the  in 
visible  presence  of  their  God  resides  ;  to  this  empti 
ness  they  pay  their  vows,  and  before  it  smoke  count 
less  offerings." 

"Poor  fools!"  cried  Caius,  striding  up  and  down 
the  apartment  with  long  uneven  steps.  "  We  shall 
confer  an  actual  benefit  by  giving  them  somewhat  to 
worship.  Ay,  a  golden  colossus  with  face  and  hands 
of  wrought  ivory,  seated  on  a  lofty  throne  set  with 
gems  of  every  color,  in  the  right  hand  shall  be  the 
thunderbolts  of  Jove  and  beneath  the  feet  the  emblems 
of  every  other  god  and  king  under  heaven,  to  signify 
that  I,  Caius  Caesar,  am  god  of  gods,  and  king  of 
kings.  A  glorious  thought  of  mine  !  Send  quickly 
for  Cassius  Chaereas ;  I  will  order  the  work  begun  in 
this  self-same  hour !" 


CAIUS,  THE  GOD.  159 

"  Whilst  thou  art  waiting  the  presence  of  the  tri 
bune,"  said  the  royal  chamberlain,  advancing,  "  will  it 
please  your  majesty  to  receive  one  Herod  Antipas, 
tetrarch  of  Galilee,  with  Herodias  his  wife  ?  They 
seek  now  for  the  third  time  an  opportunity  of  paying 
their  court  to  the  majesty  of  the  universe." 

"  Antipas  ?  Ha,  a  Jew,  I  remember  him  ;  a  son  of 
that  old  fox  Herod,  and  himself  a  sly  and  conscience 
less  rascal.  'Twas  in  Rome  he  carried  off  this  Hero 
dias  ;  she  was  his  brother's  wife  and  a  very  wonder  of 
beauty.  Fetch  them  in  and  at  once." 

"They  send  you  this  with  their  humblest  worship," 
said  Codrus,  presenting  a  case,  which  when  opened 
displayed  a  heavy  chain  of  gold,  clasped  with  an  en 
graved  gem  of  great  value. 

"A  pretty  trifle,"  remarked  the  emperor,  glancing  at 
it  carelessly.  "  Give  it  to  Helicon  here  ;  'twill  serve  to 
ease  his  vanity  for  the  wine  I  wasted  on  him  at  breakfast." 

"  Here  are  also  letters  from  the  king  Agrippa  to  the 
emperor  of  Rome,  which  came  this  morning  by  the 
hand  of  Fortunatus,  a  slave,"  continued  Codrus. 

"And  what  hath  Agrippa  to  say?"  exclaimed  the 
emperor,  who  was  apparently  in  high  good  humor  for 
the  moment.  "  The  fellow  hath  already  run  through 
the  gold  I  gave  him  I'll  warrant  me,  and  asks  for 
more.  Well,  he  shall  have  it,  this  kinsman  of  his 
who  is  without  shall  give  it  him. — What  is  this  !  scor 
pions  and  furies  !  Bring  in  the  Jew,  I  say,  and  the 
woman." 

"Will  not  the  divine  majesty  receive  these  persons 


160  PAUL. 

in  the  audience-chamber?"  suggested  Codrus.  "All 
is  prepared,  and  the  court  is  in  attendance." 

"  Perchance  they  hunger  after  their  long  journey 
and  would  break  their  fast  with  the  remains  of  our 
morning's  meal,"  sneered  Caius,  glancing  at  the  dis 
ordered  table. 

"As  ever  thoughtful  of  the  best  good  of  others, 
but  the  radiance  of  thy  glory  will  scarce  appear  in 
this  guise  to  the  eyes  of  strangers,"  ventured  Narcis 
sus,  who  had  entered  followed  by  two  slaves  laden  with 
gorgeous  robes. 

"That  is  true,"  assented  Caius,  looking  down  at  his 
untidy  person.  "  Tire  me  quickly.  I  will  receive 
them  in  the  audience -chamber." 

To  Herodias,  who  yet  waited  with  her  husband  in 
an  ante-room  of  the  palace,  the  moments  lingered 
leaden-footed ;  again  and  again  she  glanced  impa 
tiently  into  the  great  mirrors  which  hung  upon  the 
walls,  bidding  her  tire-woman  make  fresh  changes  in 
the  disposition  of  her  veil,  in  the  arrangement  of  her 
jewels,  in  the  folds  of  her  richly-embroidered  robe. 

Antipas  pale  and  silent,  strode  up  and  down  the 
apartment  paying  no  heed  to  the  curious  glances  of 
the  liveried  pages,  who  whispered  and  tittered  about 
the  great  doors  which  shut  off  the  audience-chamber 
from  view.  He  paused  at  length  before  the  princess 
and  looked  at  her  in  silence,  his  burning  eyes  roving 
with  feverish  impatience  over  every  detail  of  her  mag 
nificent  dress,  and  coming  at  last  to  a  standstill  on  the 
beautiful  flushed  face. 


CAIUS,  THE  GOD.  161 

"  Herodias,"  he  murmured  with  a  beseeching  look, 
"  it  is  not  yet  too  late  to  draw  back  from  this  danger 
ous  venture.  Since  we  have  come,  let  us  pay  our 
court  to  the  emperor  as  befits  our  rank,  but  something 
warns  me  that  this  is  not  the  time  to  beg  for  favors." 

"  Not  the  time  !"  exclaimed  Herodias,  with  an  im 
patient  gesture,  "  and  when  will  a  better  time  arrive  ? 
Hast  thou  then  consulted  the  auspices,  that  thou  dost 
prate  of  times  and  seasons  ?  At  the  worst,  we  shall 
but  be  refused — and  I  swear  I  fear  it  not.  I  only  fear 
lest  in  our  modesty  we  ask  too  little.  But  see,  the 
doors  are  opened  !  They  beckon  us  to  advance  !" 

Caius  Caesar,  seated  on  his  lofty  chair  of  wrought 
ivory,  stared  at  the  man  and  woman  who  now  slowly 
and  reverently  approached,  with  a  look  to  which  those 
of  his  courtiers  who  stood  about  him  were  no  strangers.7 
His  fierce  yet  dull  eyes  seemed  to  have  withdrawn 
themselves  beast-like  beneath  the  bulging  wrinkled 
forehead  ;  his  face,  the  color  and  apparent  consistency 
of  impure  wax,  was  distorted  by  a  frightful  expression 
which,  although  it  drew  back  the  lips  revealing  the 
yellowish  pointed  teeth  within,  could  by  no  stretch  of. 
the  imagination  be  termed  a  smile. 

The  two  knelt  for  an  instant,  then  arose  and  stood 
with  bowed  heads,  as  if  awaiting  some  token  of  recog 
nition  from  the  motionless  form  before  them.  The 
emperor  continued  to  stare  with  unwinking  eyes,  but 
it  was  remarked  that  after  the  first  glance  he  had  fixed 
his  gaze  upon  the  woman,  who  with  proud  conscious 
ness  of  her  glorious  beauty  still  allowed  .her  long 

11 


162  PA  UL. 

lashes  to  shadow  the  smooth  oval  of  her  olive  cheeks. 
"  A  handsome  woman,  I  swear  it  by  the  immor 
tals,"  he  croaked  at  length.  "What  sayest  thou, 
Asiaticus  ?  Is  she  not  handsomer  than  the  empress 
of  Rome  ?" 

Herodias  lifted  her  great  black  eyes,  a  spark  of 
womanly  indignation  burning  in  their  depths,  and  fixed 
them  boldly  upon  the  man  in  the  ivory  chair.  "  We 
have  come,"  she  said  in  a  ringing  voice,  "to  crave  from 
thee  a  boon." 

"A  boon  ?  Ay,  of  course,  they  all  want  something. 
Thou  didst  not  answer  my  question,  Valerius  Asiati 
cus.  Is  not  this  woman  handsomer  than  the  empress 
of  Rome?" 

The  man  to  whom  he  addressed  the  question  grew 
pale.  "  'Tis  impossible,"  he  faltered  at  length,  "  that 
any  woman  can  be  more  divinely  beautiful  than  the 
consort  of  the  emperor." 

"Thou  hast  lied,  Asiaticus,"  replied  the  emperor 
coolly,  "yesterday  also,  thou  didst  lie  to  me  twice, 
thrice  concerning — well,  no  matter  what.  To-night 
after  we  have  supped,  we  shall  try  thee  by  the  rack  to 
see  if  by  any  means  we  shall  be  able  to  draw  out  from 
thee  the  truth  about  certain  matters  concerning  which 
we  are  in  doubt.  Do  not  forget  the  hour."  Then  he 
turned  to  Herodias,  "  Such  is  the  manner  in  which  we 
deal  with  these  stubborn  lying  Romans,  my  pretty 
one ;  the  cord,  the  rack,  the  plate,  the  fire,  we  try 
them  all  in  turn — ay,  one  and  all.  A  boon,  saidst 
thou,  now  what  is  it  ?" 


CAIUS,  THE  GOD.  1C3 

"  The  son  of  Herod,  my  husband,  shall  place  the 
matter  before  thee,"  answered  Herodias,  indicating 
with  a  superb  gesture  the  man  at  her  side. 

"  Speak,  son  of  Herod,  what  wilt  thou  ?" 

Antipas  straightened  himself,  "As  the  son  of  that 
great  Herod,"  he  began  resolutely,  "  who  formerly 
held  sway  over  all  the  nations  of  Israel  under  the  em 
pire  of  Rome,  I  would  crave  of  thee  the  right  to  wear 
the  crown  of  my  father,  and  to  add  to  my  domain  the 
province  of  Judea." 

"A  boon  indeed — a  pretty  boon  !"  exclaimed  Caius. 
"  Canst  thou  show  me  any  reason  why  I  should  grant 
thee  this  favor,  son  of  Herod?" 

"  None,  save  that  I  am  loyal  to  Rome,  and  that  the 
crown  I  crave  is  mine  by  right  of  descent." 

"  Stay,  not  so  fast,  good  Herod,  thou  art  loyal  to 
Rome,  sayst  thou  ?  Then  what  meaneth  this  letter 
which  came  to  my  hand  this  very  day  ?  'Tis  writ  by 
Agrippa,  whom  I  made  king  because  I  had  willed  that 
he  who  had  worn  a  chain  for  me  should  also  wear  a 
crown.  Listen,  while  I  shall  read  to  thee  from  this 
same  letter. 

"  '  I  am  grieved  to  irk  thee  with  tidings  of  evil,  be 
loved  friend — for  so  have  I  received  permission  to  term 
thee,  who  art  king  of  kings — but  nevertheless  it  seem- 
eth  to  be  necessary  for  thy  peace  and  the  peace  of 
Rome  that  thou  shouldst  be  aware  that  Herod  Antipas, 
tetrach  of  Galilee,  doth  meditate  treason  against  thy 
glorious  majesty.  To  this  end  he  hath  conspired  with 
Artabanus,  king  of  Parthia,  to  overthrow  the  govern- 


164  PAUL. 

ment  of  Rome,  and  hath  made  ready  in  his  armory 
equipment  sufficient  for  seventy  thousand  men.'  What 
sayest  thou,  son  of  Herod,  to  this  accusation  ?" 

The  face  of  Antipas  had  gradually  assumed  the  livid 
hues  of  death  as,  he  listened  to  the  reading  of  this 
letter.  His  head  fell  forward  ;  he  seemed  not  to  have 
heard  the  emperor's  question  for  he  made  no  effort  to 
answer  it. 

"  How  now,  Jew  !  art  stricken  dumb  that  thou  canst 
not  answer  a  plain  question  ?  Hast  thou  this  armor, 
as  king  Agrippa  doth  allege,  or  hast  thou  not?" 

"  My  royal  consort  is  unable  to  answer  so  terrible 
and  so  false  an  accusation,"  said  Herodias  haughtily. 
"  Made  moreover  by  a  kinsman  who  was  formerly  but 
a  beggared  outlaw,  dependent  upon  our  bounty  for  the 
food  which  he  ate.  We  have  warmed  a  viper  in  our 
bosom  and  it  has  stung  us,  as  is  the  fashion  of  such 
deadly  reptiles." 

"  Ay,  stung  thee  to  the  death,  fair  one,  unless  thou 
shalt  shortly  prove  thine  innocence  of  this  treason. 
Once  more,  Herod  Antipas,  hast  thou  the  armor?" 

"  I  have  the  armor,"  replied  Antipas  in  a  dull  hol 
low  tone,  "but  may  not  the  governor  of  a  province 
maintain  an  armed  force  sufficient  to  preserve  peace 
within  his  domains,  without  incurring  the  charge  of 
treason  ?" 

"Seventy  thousand  men  can  scarce  be  necessary  to 
preserve  peace  within  the  confines  of  Galilee,  in  addi 
tion  to  the  Roman  legions  which  are  within  ready  call," 
said  the  emperor  with  biting  emphasis.  "  Hear  now 


CAIUS,  THE  GOD.  165 

the  boon  which  thou  shalt  receive  :  the  tetrachy  of 
Galilee,  with  all  the  revenues  and  appurtenances  there 
of,  I  do  hereby  take  from  thee  ;  and  I  do  bestow  it, 
by  virtue  of  my  imperial  authority,  upon  Agrippa. 
Moreover  thou  shalt  be  deprived  of  whatever  private 
wealth  thou  hast  acquired,  and  shalt  in  the  future  make 
thy  residence  in  the  province  of  Gaul,  to  which  prov 
ince  thou  art  henceforth  perpetually  exiled.  As  for 
thee,  fair  lady,  since  thou  art — as  I  further  learn  from 
this  letter — own  sister  to  Herod  Agrippa,  I  do  offer 
thee  asylum  and  support  in  Rome,  suitable  to  thy 
rank.  Freed  from  this  blundering  knave  whom  thou 
hast  called  husband,  thou  shalt  yet  reign  queen  of 
beauty  in  a  kindlier  sphere.  I,  the  emperor  of  Rome, 
have  sworn  it." 

Herodias  looked  for  an  instant  into  the  leering  mask 
which  bent  toward  her,  then  she  turned  away  with  a 
haughty  gesture  of  refusal. 

"  Thou  hast  indeed,  O  emperor,  extended  to  me  a 
boon  which  is  in  accord  with  thy  imperial  magnificence, 
but  the  kindness  which  I  have  for  my  husband  hinders 
me  from  partaking  of  the  favor  of  thy  gift ;  for  it  is 
but  just  that  I  who  have  been  made  the  partner  of  his 
prosperity,  shall  also  cleave  to  him  in  the  hour  of  his 
adversity." 

Antipas  raised  his  haggard  eyes  full  of  mute  ques 
tionings,  and  fixed  them  upon  the  woman  at  his  side. 
Something  in  the  pallid  unsmiling  face  answered  him. 

"  I  have  received  my  crown  !"  he  cried  aloud. 

But  the  emperor  sprang  to  his  feet  in  sudden  fury. 


166  PAUL. 

"  Go,  woman  !"  he  cried  with  a  terrible  execration, 
"  and  when  lashed  by  the  furies  thou  art  perishing  in 
squalor  and  misery,  remember  what  thou  hast  lost." 

*  So  the  two  went  away  into  banishment  and  obli 
vion — for  what  befell  them  from  that  hour  is  known  to 
no  man.  Yet  who  shall  say  that  their  last  days  were 
not  their  best  days,  since  at  the  last  love  went  with 
them. 

*  Josephus,  Antiquities,  B.  XVIII.,  Chap.  vii. 


THE  COLOSSUS  OF  SIDON.  167 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

THE   COLOSSUS    OF   SIDON. 

A  STRANGE,  inarticulate,  inhuman,  maddening 
±\.  noise,  a  sound,  now  sinking  to  a  low  wailing 
like  that  of  despairing  disembodied  souls,  now  swelling 
shrilly  to  a  full  throbbing  note  of  agony,  a  thunderous 
myriad-voiced  pean  of  woe,  rising  and  falling,  fainting, 
dying,  only  to  burst  out  anew  into  more  terrible  cres- 
cendos. 

Publius  Petronius,  the  •  newly-made  governor  of 
Syria,  arose  from  his  couch  at  day -break  with  a  curse, 
his  usually  fresh  and  ruddy  countenance  haggard  and 
yellow. 

"  The  seven  and  twentieth  night,"  he  muttered  be 
twixt  his  teeth,  "and  I  have  not  slept.  Beasts  !"  He 
kicked  the  slave  who  had  brought  him  his  toga  and 
sandals  with  such  vigor  and  precision  that  the  unfor 
tunate  menial  landed  upon  the  opposite  side  of  the 
room.  The  man  arose  with  commendable  promptness 
and  returned  to  the  matter  which  he  had  in  hand, 
namely  that  of  investing  his  irascible  master  with  the 
habiliments  of  civilization.  Petronius  meantime  was 
engaged  in  roaring  out  divers  great  oaths,  which  com 
prehended  creation  in  general,  the  gods,  whom  he  held 
responsible  for  all  his  discomforts  and  miseries  past, 


168  PA  UL. 

present,  and  to  come,  also  and  in  particular  his  bed, 
which  he  compared  to  a  certain  choice  locality  in 
Hades. 

"  Beasts  !"  he  growled  savagely,  striding  to  the  win 
dow  of  his  chamber,  "  I  will  show  them  that  I  am  not 
to  be  trifled  with.  There  are  at  the  least  ten  thousand 
of  the  devils — Nay,  by  Apollo,  I  believe  there  are  ten 
times  ten  thousand  of  them,  and  all  howling  like 
damned  souls.  And  for  what  ?  because  a  certain 
crack-brained  imbecile,  who  wears  the  purple,  will  set 
up  his  trumpery  image  in  their  temple.  Let  him  take 
the  matter  in  hand  himself,  I  say,  since  he  calls  him 
self  the  god  of  the  universe.  God  ?  Pah  !  He  is 
inferior  to  the  slave  yonder  whom  I  have  kicked." 
He  thrust  his  fingers  into  his  ears  as  if  to  shut  out  for 
an  instant  the  frightful  clamor  which  arose  from  the 
multitude  below. 

"  The  master  stone-cutter  from  Sidon,  excellency  !" 
announced  the  slave  with  some  quite  natural  hesita 
tion.  "  He  wishes  to  consult  your  worshipful  highness 
concerning  the  transportation  of  the  statue." 

"  The  furies  fly  away  with  the  master  stone-cutter 
from  Sidon  !  I  have  not  breakfasted.  Go  tell  him 
that  I  will  not  see  him. — Nay,  bring  him  hither  and  at 
once." 

"  Most  worshipful,  exalted,  and  revered — " 

"  Hold  thy  peace,  man,  I  am  no  royal  weakling, 
bloated  nigh  to  bursting  with  impious  folly,  but  a 
Roman  soldier ;  speak  to  me  as  such.  What  wilt 
thou?" 


THE  COLOSSUS  OF  SIDON.  169 

"  I  have,  excellency,  well-nigh  finished  the  work 
upon  the  colossal  statue  of  the  emperor,  which  is  to 
be  placed  in  Jerusalem.  It  will,  I  hope,  be  possible 
to  erect  it  in  the  Holy  of  Holies  before  the  next  feast- 
day." 

"Sanctissimi  dei !  what,  finished  already?  Nay, 
thou  art  most  diligent  in  the  pursuit  of  thy  calling, 
good  stone-cutter." 

"  I  am,  in  truth,  diligent,"  replied  the  man  com 
placently,  "  and  at  all  times  ;  yet  on  this  present  occa 
sion  have  I  wrought  day  and  night,  as  it  were,  em 
ploying  the  most  skilled  artists,  and  sparing  neither 
labor  nor  expense — even  as  thou  didst  bid  me." 

"  It  must  be  very  perfect,  man,"  growled  Petronius, 
staring  hard  at  the  stone-cutter  and  pulling  at  his 
short  beard.  "  This  is  no  fool's  job  which  thou  hast 
undertaken ;  there  must  be  no  slighting  of  even  the 
inferior  parts  ;  the  smallest  imperfection  of  the  littlest 
fold  of  the  robe,  or  the  deviation  of  a  hair's  breadth 
in  the  disposition  of  a  single  feature  ;  the — " 

"  Am  I  not  the  greatest  artist  in  Sidon — nay,  in  all 
Phoenicia?"  interrupted  the  master  stone-cutter  with 
heat.  "  Do  I  need  therefore  to  learn  my  business 
anew?" 

"  Hold,  my  good  stone-cutter,  there  are  yet  many 
things  connected  with  thy  business  which  thou  wilt  do 
well  to  consider,"  answered  Petronius,  leaning  forward 
and  staring  yet  more  fixedly  into  the  angry  face  before 
him.  "  Listen  now  for  an  instant,  I  pray  thee.  Canst 
thou  hear  the  sounds  from  without  ?  Ay,  thou  canst 


170  PAUL. 

hear;  thou  hast  ears.  It  is  for  these  good  people 
without  that  thou  art  fashioning  this  statue  of  Caius 
Caesar,  the  new  Jupiter.  It  is  to  be  their  god.  Now 
if  it  be  set  up  in  their  shrine  at  Jerusalem,  and  they 
discover  in  it  the  smallest  flaw,  what,  think  you,  will 
they  do  unto  the  man  that  hath  wrought  the  same  to 
the  dishonor  of  their  temple?" 

The  stone-cutter  grew  pale. 

"Ay,  thou  mayst  well  tremble,"  pursued  Petro- 
nius,  lowering  his  voice  almost  to  a  whisper,  "  for 
they  would  not  scruple  to  rend  thee  limb  from  limb  ; 
as  for  the  statue — "  He  paused  and  shrugged  his 
shoulders. 

"  But — thou  hast  legions  at  thy  command,"  faltered 
the  man,  wiping  the  great  beads  of  moisture  from  his 
face.  "Surely  thou  couldst  protect  me." 

Petronius  smiled.  "  I  could  crucify  a  score  or 
more  of  thy  murderers  after  thou  wert  dead,"  he  said 
coldly ;  "  but  the  legions  of  Rome  can  scarce  stand 
guard  over  the  body  of  a  paltry  stone-cutter."  Then 
his  manner  suddenly  changed ;  he  clapped  his  great 
hand  down  upon  his  knee  as  if  a  solution  of  the  whole 
matter  had  occurred  to  him.  "  Come,  come,  my 
good  fellow,"  he  said  heartily,  "thou  art  still  alive, 
and  like  enough  to  outlive  by  a  score  of  years  any 
one  of  these  yelping  dogs  outside.  Go  back  to  thy 
stone -cutting,  and  fail  not  to  refine  thy  handiwork  to 
the  last  degree  of  perfection.  Let  the  very  hairs  of 
the  eyelash,  the — hum — the  texture  of  the  robe,  the 
sparkle  of  the  eye — " 


THE  COLOSSUS  OF  SIDON.  171 

"  Tis  impossible — impossible!"  groaned  the  artist, 
wringing  his  hands  in  mingled  indignation  and  despair. 
"  Who  can  express  the  sparkle  of  the  living  eye  in 
dull  insensate  ivory.  Unless — "  he  added  eagerly, 
"  the  eye  be  fashioned  out  of  gems,  the  white  of  the 
eye  from  pearl,  the  iris  from — " 

"  Yes,  yes,  that  is  what  I  mean,"  interrupted  Petro- 
nius  rubbing  his  hands  genially,  "  exactly,  let  it  be 
done  in  that  way — by  all  means." 

"  But  it  may  occasion  a  great  delay,"  said  the  artist 
pursing  up  his  mouth  with  a  dubious  expression.  "  Six 
months  or  more  might  be  consumed  in  seeking  out  the 
proper  materials  ;  perhaps  after  all  the  ivory — " 

"The  delay  is  no  matter,  sirrah,"  roared  Petronius 
with  an  emphatic  stamp  of  his  foot.  "The  statue 
must  be  perfect.  Do  you  understand  me?" 

"I — I  understand,  yes — assuredly,  I  comprehend 
perfectly,"  faltered  the  stone-cutter,  stepping  back  a 
little  in  his  alarm.  "  I  will  send  at  once  for  the  gems, 
and  with  all  possible  speed  ;  but  the — ah — the  added 
expense,  how  is  that  to  be  met?" 

"  With  gold,  knave,  with  gold,  how  else  ?  There  is 
no  lack  of  gold  with  the  emperor  of  Rome — the  gods 
be  praised  for  that  much.  Now  get  thee  gone  ;  the 
needed  gold  shall  reach  Sidon  within  the  month." 

The  stone-cutter  still  lingered,  shifting  uneasily  from 
one  foot  to  the  other.  "  If  I  had  the  gold  to-day," 
he  began  at  length,  "  or  at  the  latest  by  to-morrow,  it 
might  save  two  months  of  time  in  the  completion — " 

But  at  this  Petronius  sprang  to  his  feet,  calling  with 


172  PAUL. 

a  mighty  voice  upon  all  the  gods  of  the  nether  world 
to  bear  him  witness  that  a  more  stupid,  thick-skulled, 
addle-brained  monstrosity  than  the  stone-cutter  from 
Sidon  never  existed,  vowing  moreover  by  all  the  di 
vinities  of  Olympus  and  by  the  shades  of  his  ancestors 
that  he  would  take  the  commission  from  him  and  give 
it  to  the  slave  who  trimmed  his  beard,  since  the  slave 
was  the  better  artist  of  the  two. 

The  unlucky  sculptor  retreated  open-mouthed  to 
the  door,  reaching  it  with  a  sigh  of  relief,  and  disap 
pearing  therefrom  with  the  celerity  of  a  withered  leaf 
before  the  impetuous  blasts  of  the  north  wind. 

Seeing  that  the  man  from  Sidon  was  fairly  gone, 
Petronius  chuckled  grimly  to  himself.  "  So  far,  good  !" 
he  growled.  Then  he  rapped  upon  the  table.  "  My 
breakfast !  and  tell  Valerius  Flaccus  that  I  will  see  him 
at  once." 

"  I  purpose,"  he  said,  betwixt  great  mouthfuls  of  the 
porridge  which  he  preferred  to  all  other  dishes  for  his 
morning  repast,  "  I  purpose  to  advance  at  once  to 
Tiberias,  that  I  may  see  whether  this  same  state  of 
affairs  prevails  over  the  entire  country ;  also  I  shall 
send  for  Herod  Agrippa  and  put  the  matter  to  him. 
He  may  perchance  have  some  influence  with  these 
accursed  blockheads.  '  If  they  endeavor  to  prevent 
the  worship  of  my  statue,'  says  the  emperor,  '  put 
them  down  by  force  of  arms.'  Very  good,  I  am 
ready  to  fight,  but  who  can  fight  men  who  throw 
themselves  flat  upon  their  bellies  howling  like  a  lot 
of  sick  children?" 


THE  COLOSSUS  OF  SIDON.  173 

"  Charge  upon  them  with  a  legion,  excellency,  and 
the  cowards  will  shortly  get  up  and  run  away,"  advised 
Flaccus,  drumming  loudly  on  the  edge  of  his  chair 
with  his  closed  fist.  "  That  is  how  I  should  deal  with 
the  rascals  ;  give  them  something  to  howl  for,  say  I." 

"  I  have  not  asked  your  counsel,  sir,"  growled 
Petronius.  "  No,  they  must  be  persuaded,  though 
may  the  gods  smite  me,  if  I  know  how  it  is  to  be. 
done.  But  come,  we  start  without  delay  with  one 
legion,  the  other  shall  remain  here  under  command 
of  Procullus." 

Valerius  Flaccus  shrugged  his  shoulders,  but  he 
nevertheless  prepared  to  carry  out  the  commands  of 
his  superior. 

That  day  Petronius  at  the  head  of  his  cohorts 
marched  from  Ptolemais  to  Tiberias,  pursued  all  the 
way  by  the  dark  cloud  of  mourning  Jews.  Thousands 
upon  thousands,  and  tens  of  thousands  of  them  beset 
the  stolidly-marching  columns  before  and  behind,  in 
companies  of  old  men,  of  young  men,  of  matrons,  of 
maidens,  of  young  children  ;  gaunt  and  wasted  with 
fasting,  their  voices  hoarse  with  prolonged  wailing. 

"Hear  us  for  the  love  of  God!"  they  groaned. 
"  Save  yourselves  from  the  wrath  of  Jehovah  ! — The 
Holiest  of  the  Holies  ! — Thy  Holy  Place,  oh  God  ! — 
Woe,  woe  is  come  upon  us — even  the  abomination  of 
desolation  !" 

And  "Woe  !  Woe  !  Woe  !"  sounded  in  the  ears  of 
the  advancing  legionaries  in  ever  louder  and  more 
awful  insistence,  till  even  the  hardened  veterans  of  a 


174  PA  UL. 

hundred  bloody  battles  ground  their  teeth  in  super 
stitious  terror,  and  called  upon  all  the  gods  of  Rome 
to  protect  them. 

In  the  empty  palace  of  Herod  Antipas  at  Tiberias, 
Petronius  received  that  night  a  deputation,  consisting 
of  Aristobulus  the  brother  of  Agrippa,  together  with 
Helcias  the  elder,  and  other  chief  men  of  the  Herodian 
family. 

"  Where  is  Agrippa,  the  emperor's  friend  ?"  inquired 
the  governor  abruptly,  looking  uneasily  from  one  to 
the  other  of  the  serious  faces  before  him. 

"  King  Agrippa  sailed  for  Rome  more  than  a  month 
since,  being  at  the  time  unfortunately  ignorant  of  this 
decree  of  the  emperor  which  hath  brought  about  such 
unhappy  consequences,"  answered  Aristobulus. 

The  governor  received  this  piece  of  information  with 
a  fierce  but  unintelligible  exclamation. 

"  It  must  be  evident  by  this  time  to  your  worshipful 
excellency  that  prompt  measures  must  be  taken  to 
pacify  the  people,"  continued  Aristobulus  firmly. 
"  Not  only  is  all  business  at  a  standstill  in  our  cities, 
but  the  peasants  have  forsaken  their  fields  and  vine 
yards  ;  already  the  time  for  sowing  is  far  past,  and 
unless  the  populace  can  be  persuaded  to  return  at 
once  to  their  avocations,  a  frightful  famine  will  follow, 
tributes  will  be  unpaid,  and,  in  a  word,  the  nation  will 
be  destroyed." 

"When  a  man  is  ailing,"  began  Petronius  frowning, 
"  so  that  by  reason  of  the  foul  fever  which  burns  in 
his  veins  he  is  for  the  time  mad  and  knoweth  not  what 


THE  COLOSSUS  OF  SIDON.  175 

he  doeth,  raging  and  tearing  also  like  to  a  wild-beast, 
then  doth  the  wise  physician  open  his  swollen  veins 
that  the  distempered  blood  may  flow  therefrom  ;  so 
shall  the  sick  man  recover — if  haply  the  gods  be  pro 
pitious.  Listen  now  to  the  ravings  of  the  sick  man 
without,  and  bethink  you  if  I  shall  straightway  crucify 
certain  of  the  chief  men  of  Jerusalem,  and  of  the 
others  send  a  score  or  more  into  banishment,  will  not 
distempered  Israel  forthwith  forget  this  trifling  matter 
of  the  statue  ?  and  peace  and  prosperity  shall  be 
restored  to  the  many  at  the  expense  of  the  few." 

"  There  is  but  one  way  in  which  thou  mayst  accom 
plish  this  infamous  decree  of  the  emperor,"  answered 
Helcias,  his  voice  trembling  with  indignation. 

"And  what  is  that?"  inquired  Petronius.  "By  my 
faith,  I  should  rejoice  to  hear  it,  since  I  am  under 
commands  to  accomplish  the  matter  at  hazard  of  my 
own  life." 

"  Go  forth  with  thy  legions,  and  straightway  put  to 
the  edge  of  the  sword  every  one  both  great  and  small, 
in  whose  veins  there  courses  a  drop  of  Hebrew  blood, 
then  shalt  thou  unhindered  set  up  in  the  Holiest  Place 
of  the  temple  the  image  of  the  Caesar." 

"  But  and  if  I  shall  put  the  nation  to  the  edge  of 
the  sword,  what  profit  to  set  up  the  colossus  in  a 
temple  wherein  there  are  no  worshipers  ?  Nay,  good 
Helcias,  the  physician  may  not  slay  the  patient  openly 
before  the  eyes  of  his  family  ;  if  he  would  slay  him, 
he  must  accomplish  the  matter  by  stealth,  else  would 
his  own  neck  be  in  peril.  Listen  again,  if  a  man  suffer 


176  PA  UL. 

pain  in  a  certain  member  of  his  body  it  is  likewise  the 
custom  of  the  leech  to  apply  to  another  part  a  griev 
ous  blister  or  burn,  so  that  in  the  greater  anguish  the 
lesser  may  be  forgotten,  and  this  also  is  a  wholesome 
practice.  Not  long  since,  I  am  told,  there  was  an 
uproar  at  Jerusalem  because  of  a  certain  man  called 
Christus,  who  was  crucified  for  his  crimes  at  the  hands 
of  Pontius  Pilate,  the  procurator.  Let  now  the  minds 
of  the  people  be  skilfully  stirred  within  them  against 
the  followers  of  this  man,  who  assuredly  will  work 
greater  mischief  to  their  religion  than  a  dead  mass  of 
stone  and  metal  in  whatsoever  shape  it  be  wrought  or 
wheresoever  it  be  set  up." 

"  The  followers  of  the  man  Jesus  are  indeed  hated 
by  all  righteous  and  law-abiding  Jews,"  replied  Aris- 
tobulus  thoughtfully,  "  and  in  some  more  peaceful 
time  their  destruction  shall  doubtless  be  compassed  ; 
but  what  is  any  heresy  or  schism,  however  foul,  com 
pared  with  this  threatened  profanation  of  their  inner 
sanctuary  ?  For  the  time  being  they  have  forgotten 
the  whole  matter.*  There  remains  yet  one  other 
resource  ;  lay  this  matter  before  the  emperor  without 
delay  and  with  all  wisdom,  representing  to  him  that 
not  only  will  there  come  great  loss  and  suffering  upon 
the  Jewish  nation — who  indeed  are  willing  to  die 
rather  than  to  suffer  their  laws  to  be  trodden  under 
foot,  but  that  general  havoc,  destruction  and  famine 
will  certainly  prevail  throughout  the  whole  region, 

*  Acts,  ix.  31. 


THE  COLOSSUS  OF  SWON.  177 

whereby  all  tributes  and  revenues  will  be  lost  to  the 
coffers  of  Rome :  if  thou  shalt  represent  the  matter 
to  him  with  due  discretion,  it  may  be  that  he  will  be 
turned  from  his  purpose." 

Petronius  laughed  aloud,  "  Thou  knowest  not  our 
Caligula,  it  would  seem,"  he  said  bitterly.  "  It  is 
possible  that  the  threatened  loss  of  tribute-money 
might  serve  to  move  him — though  to  make  that  good 
were  a  simple  enough  matter,  since  there  yet  remain 
unslain  a  few  rich  citizens  at  Rome.  As  for  the  suffer 
ings  of  the  Jewish  nation,  the  story  will  suffice  to 
amuse  the  god  as  he  sups  his  wine."  His  head  sank 
forward  upon  his  breast,  and  the  weird  unearthly  wail 
ing  from  without  filled  the  silence  like  an  agonized 
prayer.  "  I  am  an  old  man,"  he  muttered  as  if  to 
himself,  "  my  tale  of  life  is  almost  told  ;  what  remains 
is  scarce  worth  a  thought,  and  yet — it  is  dear  to  me." 

The  men  who  stood  in  his  presence  watched  him 
breathlessly  ;  the  fate  of  Israel  was  trembling  in  the 
balance,  they  thought,  not  knowing  that  the  fiat  of  the 
Eternal  had  already  gone  forth. 

Petronius  lifted  his  heavy  eyes  and  fixed  them  upon 
the  white  faces  before  him  ;  he  arose  from  his  chair  and 
solemnly  raised  his  right  hand  high  above  his  head. 
"  I  will  do  this  thing  that  ye  have  asked  of  me,"  he 
said  in  a  loud  firm  voice,  "  and  if  I  perish,  I  perish. 
May  the  gods  bear  me  witness  !" 

When  he  had  said  this,  he  went  out  of  the  palace 
and  spoke  to  the  people,  who  were  crowded  even 
about  the  doors. 

12 


178  PAUL. 

"  It  is  just,  O  Jews,  that  I,  Publius  Petronius,  who 
have  received  honors  and  advancement  at  the  hands  of 
Caius  Caesar  should  endeavor  to  carry  out  his  decrees 
with  diligence,  yet  am  I  not  unmoved  at  the  sight  of  your 
anguish  and  by  the  misery  which  those  decrees  have 
wrought  in  your  midst.  I  am  therefore  resolved,  at  peril 
of  my  own  life,  to  intercede  with  the  emperor  in  your 
behalf,  to  the  end  that  you  may  be  permitted  to  exercise 
your  laws  undisturbed,  and  to  worship  your  God  after 
your  own  customs.  And  since  I  am  told  by  those  emi 
nent  among  you  that  your  God  is  also  a  great  God  and 
very  powerful,  I  do  request  and  ask  that  you  will 
beseech  him  to  prosper  me  in  this  perilous  venture 
which  I  undertake  for  you.  And  now  do  you  depart 
every  one  of  you,  each  to  his  own  avocation,  and  fall 
to  the  cultivation  of  your  ground  with  all  diligence 
— since  the  time  for  planting  is  already  far  past,  know 
ing  that  I  have  pledged  myself  to  your  service  in  this 
matter  both  with  my  honor  and  with  my  life." 

No  sooner  had  Petronius  spoken  these  words,  than 
there  came  down  from  the  heavens  copious  showers 
of  water  with  a  great  sound  of  thunder ;  which  truly 
the  Jews  regarded  as  the  voice  of  God,  for  thus  was 
broken  a  terrible  drought  which  had  lasted  for  more 
than  a  year.  And  this  took  they  for  a  sign  that  God 
had  heard  their  prayers,  and  that  he  would  prosper 
the  undertaking  of  Petronius.  So  they  departed  with 
cheerfulness  each  man  to  his  own  place,  even  as  the 
governor  had  bidden  them. 

As  for  Petronius,  he  had  now  a  serious  task  before 


THE  COLOSSUS  OF  SIDON.  179 

him,  that  of  communicating  to  the  emperor  of  Rome 
the  thing  which  he  had  done. 

"I  am  aware,"  he  said,  "that  in  writing  this  letter 
I  am  also  writing  my  own  death-warrant,  which  is 
surely  a  grievous  thing  for  a  man  to  do." 

Yet  did  he  set  forth  the  matter  very  plainly,  declaring 
how  that  many  tens  of  thousands  of  the  Jews  had  en 
treated  him  for  forty  days,  thereby  neglecting  their 
business  and  the  tillage  of  their  land.  Also  he  men 
tioned  in  particular  the  matter  of  the  revenues,  and 
added  that  should  the  emperor  refuse  to  grant  the  re 
quest  of  the  people  that  he  would  not  fail  of  being 
publicly  cursed  by  them  for  all  future  ages. 

This  letter  he  dispatched  at  once  to  Rome  by  the 
hand  of  a  certain  centurion  called  Cornelius. 


180  PAUL. 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

THE    MEDIATOR. 

THE  centurion  Cornelius,  bearing  the  missive 
of  Petronius,  had  no  sooner  arrived  in  Rome 
than  he  made  haste  to  seek  an  interview  with  Herod 
Agrippa. 

"For,"  said  Petronius,  "in  that  he  is  both  a  Jew 
and  a  favorite  of  Caius  Caesar,  thou  mayest  hope 
through  him  to  obtain  audience  of  the  emperor  at  a 
good  and  favorable  season.  Do  thou  therefore  ac 
quaint  him  with  what  hath  taken  place  and  with  what 
I  have  done,  and  act  according  to  his  advice  in  the 
matter." 

Now  it  happened  that  Agrippa  had  already  heard 
what  the  emperor  had  determined  concerning  the 
temple  at  Jerusalem,  and  he  was  both  sorry  and  afraid, 
for  in  his  inmost  heart  he  believed  in  the  power  and 
might  of  Jehovah,  since  he  had  not  failed  from  his 
youth  up  to  receive  information  concerning  the  marvel 
ous  things  which  had  befallen  the  Jews  in  times  past. 

"  If  Jehovah  depart  from  Israel,"  he  said  within 
himself,  "  how  shall  it  profit  me  to  be  king  of  the  Jews, 
since  without  their  God,  Israel  shall  be  speedily 
brought  to  naught." 

Because  therefore  he  wished  to  be  mighty,  and  to 


THE  MEDIATOR.  181 

enjoy  power  and  riches  and  dominion,  as  had  his 
grandfather  Herod,  he  listened  carefully  to  all  that 
Cornelius  had  to  say.  And  when  the  man  had  finished 
speaking  he  said  to  him,  "  How  is  it  that  thou  being 
a  Roman  dost  manifest  such  kindness  towards  the 
Jews  ?  for  indeed  thou  hast  spoken  even  as  one  who 
also  fears  this  Jehovah." 

"There  is  truly  no  god  among  all  the  nations  of 
the  earth  like  unto  the  God  of  the  Jews,"  replied  Cor 
nelius  gravely,  "  for  while  other  gods  be  fashioned 
out  of  wood  and  stone  and  ivory — which  also  can  be 
looked  upon,  touched  and  handled  by  man,  the  God 
of  the  Jews  alone  is  unseen  and  invisible,  yet  he  alone 
can  hear  the  cry  of  man  and  regard  it." 

"  How  dost  thou  know  this  ?"  asked  Agrippa  curi 
ously.  "  Hast  thou  also  worshiped  in  the  temple — 
who  art  a  Gentile  ?" 

"I  have  never  visited  the  temple,"  replied  the  cen 
turion,  looking  intently  into  the  haughty  face  of  the 
Herod,"  but  I  prayed  to  the  God  of  the  Jews  in  mine 
own  house  at  Cassarea,  since  I  could  no  longer  with 
an  honest  heart  entreat  the  gods  of  Rome ;  I  gave 
alms  also,  according  to  the  teaching  of  the  Jews,  to 
them  which  were  in  need.  Not  long  since  there  befell 
me  a  wondrous  thing — but  I  forget  myself,"  he  added 
in  an  altered  tone.  "  Shall  I  to-day  deliver  this  letter 
to  the  emperor?" 

Agrippa  waved  his  hand  impatiently,  "  I  must  yet 

consider  that  question  with  care,  good  centurion  ;  the 

;  delay  is  no  matter,  since  at  present  all  goes  well  with 


182  PA  UL. 

the  Jews.  I  am  minded  to  know  the  wondrous  thing 
that  befell  thee  at  Caesarea." 

"  I  will  tell  thee  what  it  was,"  answered  the  centu 
rion,  "  and  this  the  more  gladly  since  thou  thyself  dost 
believe  on  this  Jehovah." 

Agrippa  shrugged  his  shoulders  with  a  slight  smile. 
"Say  on,"  he  commanded  briefly. 

"  I  was  praying  in  my  house  according  to  my  cus 
tom,"  continued  Cornelius,  "it being  about  the  ninth 
hour  of  the  day,  when  suddenly  I  saw  an  appearance 
as  of  a  young  man  clad  in  garments  of  dazzling  white 
ness.  He  spoke  to  me,  calling  me  by  name  ;  when  I 
had  looked  still  further  at  him  and  perceived  by  the 
radiance  which  streamed  forth  from  his  person  that  it 
was  no  earthly  being  which  had  addressed  me,  I  was 
afraid.  Yet  I  made  shift  to  ask  what  he  might  want 
with  me.  Then  spake  he  these  words  unto  me,  '  Thy 
prayers  and  thine  alms  are  come  up  for  a  memorial 
before  God.  And  now  send  men  to  Joppa,  and  call 
for  one  Simon,  whose  surname  is  Peter ;  he  lodgeth 
with  one  Simon,  a  tanner,  whose  house  is  by  the  sea 
side  :  he  shall  tell  thee  what  thou  oughtest  to  do.'  " 

"Wondrous,  indeed!"  remarked  Agrippa,  his  lips 
curling.  "  Thou  didst  dream,  man,  and  thy  slumbers 
were  perchance  disturbed  by  an  over-draught  of  new 
wine." 

"  I  had  drunken  nothing,  king  Agrippa.  But  now 
hear  what  followed.  I  called  straightway  two  of  my 
household  servants,  who  were  good  men,  likewise  an 
honest  soldier  of  my  guard,  and  to  them  I  related  the 


THE  MEDIATOR.  183 

vision  ;  then  I  sent  them  to  Joppa  to  search  for  the 
man  Simon,  whose  surname  was  Peter." 

"And  did  they  find  the — the  tanner,  was  it  not?" 
interrupted  Agrippa  languidly. 

"  They  found  the  house  of  the  tanner,  and  the 
man  Simon,  whose  surname  was  Peter,  and  when  they 
had  told  him  the  things  which  I  bade  them  say,  he 
readily  consented  to  accompany  them  to  Caesarea ; 
which  also  he  did  on  the  day  following,  bringing  with 
him  certain  other  Jews  which  abode  in  Joppa." 

Agrippa  raised  his  hand  with  a  gesture  of  dissent. 
"  I  am  but  half  a  Jew,"  he  said,  "and  I  care  nothing 
for  the  burdensome  customs  of  the  rabbis,  yet  do  I 
know  that  Jews  enter  not  into  the  houses  of  Gentiles 
lest  they  incur  defilement." 

"That  is  true,"  answered  Cornelius  gravely.  "And 
thus  did  the  man  Peter  say  unto  me  and  to  those  of 
my  kinsfolk  and  acquaintance  whom  I  had  gathered 
to  my  house.  '  Ye  know/  he  said,  '  how  that  it  is  an 
unlawful  thing  for  a  man  that  is  a  Jew  to  keep  com 
pany  with  one  of  another  nation.  Yet  God  hath 
showed  me  that  I  should  not  call  any  man  common  or 
unclean,  therefore  I  came  unto  thee,  without  question, 
as  soon  as  I  was  sent  for.'  He  then  asked  me  what 
I  would  have  from  him,  whereupon  I  related  to  him 
the  vision  which  I  had  seen ;  and  I  told  him  more 
over,  that  all  that  he  saw  assembled  in  my  house  were 
come  together  that  they  might  learn  from  his  lips  the 
commandments  of  the  living  God. 

"  '  Of  a  truth,'  he  said,  '  I  perceive  that  God  is  no 


184  PA  UL. 

respecter  of  persons,  but  in  every  nation  he  that  fear- 
eth  him,  and  worketh  righteousness  is  accepted  with 
him.' 

"Then  declared  he  unto  us  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  a 
man  anointed  with  power  and  with  the  holy  spirit,  who 
during  his  lifetime  went  about  doing  good,  and  heal 
ing  all  that  were  oppressed  of  the  devil.  'And  we  are 
witnesses,'  he  said,  '  of  all  things  which  he  did  both 
in  the  land  of  the  Jews  and  in  Jerusalem ;  how  also 
that  he  was  crucified  of  them  ;  but  God  raised  him 
from  among  the  dead  on  the  third  day  and  showed 
him  openly,  not  to  all  the  people,  but  unto  witnesses 
chosen  before  of  God,  even  to  us,  who  did  eat  and 
drink  with  him  after  that  he  arose  from  the  dead,  and 
he  commanded  us  to  preach  to  the  people,  and  to 
testify  that  it  is  he  which  was  ordained  of  God  to  be 
the  judge  of  quick  and  dead.' ' 

Agrippa  moved  uneasily  in  his  chair.  This  was  not 
the  first  time  that  he  had  heard  of  this  man  Jesus. 
He  remembered  on  a  sudden  a  strange  story  which 
had  been  told  him  in  his  boyhood  concerning  certain 
wise  men  who  had  once  come  to  Jerusalem  seeking 
for  the  king  of  the  Jews.  "We  have  seen,"  they  de 
clared,  "  his  star  in  the  East,  and  are  come  to  worship 
}iim."  His  grandfather  Herod,  the  greatest  of  all  his 
race,  was  troubled  when  he  heard  of  the  thing,  and  all 
Jerusalem  was  troubled  with  him,  he  therefore  as 
sembled  all  of  the  chief  priests  and  scribes  of  the 
people — so  ran  the  story — and  demanded  of  them 
where  Christ  should  be  born.  And  they  answered 


THE  MEDIATOR.  185 

that  it  had  been  foretold  by  the  prophets  that  out  of 
Bethlehem  should  come  a  ruler  who  should  reign 
over  Israel.  Forthwith  the  king  sent  secretly  for  the 
wise  men  and  instructed  them  to  seek  for  the  young 
child  in  Bethlehem.  "  When  ye  have  found  him,"  he 
said,  "bring  me  word,  that  I  also  may  come  and  wor 
ship  him."  But  the  wise  men  did  not  return  to  Jeru 
salem,  and  Herod  in  a  fury  immediately  sent  forth 
executioners  into  Bethlehem  with  commands  to  slay 
all  of  the  children  in  that  village  and  its  vicinity  of 
two  years  old  and  under.  Again  he  remembered  that 
Pilate,  the  governor  under  whom  this  Jesus  of  Naza 
reth  was  put  to  death,  had  told  him  that  the  man 
boldly  declared  himself  to  be  the  rightful  king  of  the 
Jews.  True  he  was  dead,  but  what  of  this  strange 
story  of  his  resurrection  which  so  many  of  the  Jews 
persisted  in  believing  ?  Agrippa  straightened  himself 
and  a  baleful  light  flashed  from  his  eyes. 

"  Where  is  this  man  from  Galilee — who  also  arose 
from  the  dead?"  he  demanded.  "  Do  they  keep  him 
hidden  from  the  people  that  they  may  raise  an  insur 
rection  in  his  name  ?  Verily  when  the  knaves  lead 
after  them  loyal  soldiers  of  the  empire,  'tis  time  that 
the  matter  be  looked  to.  Come  now,  what  say  these 
fellows  concerning  the  threatened  profanation  of  the 
Holy  of  Holies  ?  Are  they  also  amongst  them  which 
have  piously  fasted  and  entreated  the  legate  Petronius 
for  the  space  of  forty  days  ?" 

Cornelius  hesitated  and  looked  down.  Despite  the 
joyous  confidence  of  his  new  faith,  which  urged  him 


186  PA  UL. 

to  witness  to  the  truth  whenever  opportunity  offered, 
he  half  regretted  that  he  had  spoken  of  the  matter  to 
this  man.  "  The  followers  of  the  Christ,"  he  said  at 
length,  "  affirm  that  should  the  temple  be  razed  to  the 
ground,  men  would  still  have  access  to  the  Father 
through  the  mediation  of  his  son  Jesus,  who  hath 
ascended  into  heaven  and  sitteth  on  the  right  hand  of 
God." 

"They  do  not  therefore  care  for  any  of  these 
things?"  questioned  Agrippa  sharply. 

"The  peace  of  God  which  passeth  understanding 
abides  with  them,  and  shall  abide,  now  and  evermore," 
answered  Cornelius  solemnly. 

"  Enough,  we  will  speak  of  the  matter  no  more, 
yet  wilt  thou  do  well,  good  centurion,  to  offer  sacri 
fices  and  libations  to  the  gods  of  Rome  after  the  pious 
customs  of  thy  ancestors,  that  these  mists  of  Jewish 
heresy  which  envelop  thee  may  be  scattered  in  honest 
daylight.  To  worship  a  crucified  criminal  is  scarce 
meet  for  a  man  in  authority  like  thyself.  Methinks  if 
the  matter  should  come  to  the  ears  of  the  emperor 
there  would  be  another  centurion  of  the  Italian  band 
in  Caesarea." 

Cornelius  flushed  hotly  over  all  his  honest  face. 
"  Dost  thou,  who  art  a  Jew,  commend  me  to  the  gods 
which  thou  knowest  to  be  false?"  he  demanded. 

"  By  Apollo,  man,  thou  dost  weary  me  with  thy 
cant !  Know  that  I  care  not  a  denarius  for  any  god 
on  earth  or  in  heaven ;  they  be  all  alike  perchance  the 
vaporous  imaginings  of  the  credulous.  But,  look  you, 


THE  MEDIATOR.  187 

as  to  this  matter  which  thou  hast  in  hand  for  Petro- 
nius  and  the  Jews,  do  nothing  for  seven  days.  At  the 
end  of  that  time  thou  shalt  hear  from  me  further." 

Having  thus  dismissed  the  messenger  of  the  gov 
ernor,  Agrippa  set  himself  to  make  ready  a  great  ban 
quet  in  honor  of  Caius  Caesar.  During  six  days  his 
servants  were  employed  in  preparing  the  pastries  and 
cooked  meats.  Strange  and  costly  delicacies  were 
procured  from  every  place  where  such  things  were  to 
be  found.  Rich  wines  also  in  abundance,  garlands  of 
roses  and  sweet-scented  leaves  to  wreathe  the  ivory 
couches  on  which  the  guests  were  to  recline,  music  of 
sweet  and  varied  sorts,  together  with  bands  of  beau 
tiful  youths  who  should  chant  in  chorus  the  praises  of 
this  new  Jupiter.  All  of  these  things  did  Agrippa  set 
in  order,  and  on  the  seventh  day  the  emperor  of 
Rome  was  feasted  in  the  house  of  his  friend.  When 
he  had  eaten  and  drunken  gluttonously,  as  was  his 
custom,  and  while  the  choruses  were  being  sung  in 
his  honor,  he  lay  back  upon  the  silken  cushions  of  his 
couch  and  looked  about  him  well  pleased. 

"There  is  no  one,"  he  said  at  length,  fixing  his 
unsteady  eyes  upon  Agrippa,  "  in  all  Rome — nay  in 
all  the  world,  of  whom  I  think  more  highly  than  of 
yourself,  my  Agrippa ;  and  when  it  comes  to  my  mind 
how  that  while  I  was  without  power  thou  didst  cleave 
to  me,  despite  the  commands  of  that  old  dotard  Ti 
berius — whom  may  the  furies  tear,  even  enduring  be 
cause  of  thine  exalted  affection  for  my  person  the 
ignominy  of  chains  and  imprisonment,  I  am  minded 


188  PAUL. 

to  show  thee  still  further  of  my  kindness,  since  what 
I  have  already  done  for  thee  by  way  of  amends  for 
thy  suffering  is  but  little.  Know  then,  that  anything 
which  thou  shalt  ask  of  me  to  the  extent  of  my  ability 
shall  be  immediately  granted  to  thee  ;  and  this  also  I 
swear  by  the  great  Jupiter,  my  brother,  and  by  all  the 
inferior  gods." 

The  guests  fixed  their  eyes  upon  the  king,  expect 
ing  that  he  would  ask  nothing  less  than  the  addition 
of  other  provinces  to  his  kingdom,  or  the  revenues  of 
certain  cities,  but  Agrippa  made  answer  after  this  man 
ner — exhibiting  withal  a  noble  humility  and  an  honest 
sincerity  of  countenance  which  did  mightily  affect 
every  one  that  heard  him. 

"  I  have  loved  thee,  O  most  gracious  and  conde 
scending  of  all  the  divinities,"  he  said,  "but  I  have 
loved  thee  for  thyself  alone,  and  not  for  any  benefits 
which  I  hoped  to  receive  at  thy  hands  ;  thou  hast 
already  heaped  upon  me  gifts  beyond  the  craving  of 
even  the  most  grasping  of  men,  and  although  these 
gifts  may  be  beneath  thy  power — -who  art  all  power 
ful,  yet  do  they  greatly  transcend  my  worthiness  as 
well  as  my  desires." 

At  this  Caius  professed  to  be  greatly  astonished,  and 
pressed  him  yet  more  strenuously  to  make  of  him  at 
least  one  request,  since  he  would  not  be  denied  the 
gratification  of  doing  him  some  further  honor. 

"  I  would  ask  nothing  for  myself,  divine  majesty," 
replied  Agrippa,  "  but  I  desire  a  boon  which  may  ren 
der  yet  more  glorious  thy  renowned  piety,  and  which 


THE  MEDIATOR.  189 

also  will  confer  upon  me  the  honor  of  having  never 
failed  in  my  requests  of  thee.  My  petition  is  this,  that 
thou  wilt  forbear  to  set  up  that  statue  of  thyself  in  the 
temple  at  Jerusalem." 

With  which  request,  indeed,  Caius  was  mightily 
taken  aback,  yet  because  he  had  so  publicly  urged 
Agrippa  to  ask  a  favor  of  him,  and  because  he  feared 
that  he  might  be  made  a  laughing  stock  of  them  that 
had  witnessed  the  scene,  should  he  now  refuse,  he 
declared  that  he  should  take  pleasure  in  gratifying  so 
unselfish  a  wish.  Within  the  hour  he  had  written  a 
letter  to  Petronius,  commending  him  for  what  he  had 
already  accomplished,  and  bidding  him  proceed  no 
further  in  the  matter  of  the  colossus. 

"  If,  therefore,  (he  wrote)  thou  hast  already  erected 
the  statue,  let  it  stand  ;  but  if  thou  hast  not  yet  dedi 
cated  it,  do  not  trouble  thyself  further  about  it,  but  dis 
miss  thy  army,  go  back  and  take  care  of  those  affairs 
which  I  sent  thee  about  at  first,  for  I  have  changed 
my  mind  regarding  the  erection  of  the  statue  ;  and 
this — be  it  understood,  have  I  done  out  of  favor  to 
Agrippa." 

The  next  day  Agrippa  sent  for  the  centurion  Cor 
nelius,  and  told  him  to  deliver  the  missive  which  he 
had  brought  from  Petronius,  since  he  had  made  the 
matter  sure  beyond  a  peradventure.  Cornelius  took 
the  letter  of  Petronius,  and  himself  gave  it  into  the 
hand  of  the  emperor,  who  had  no  sooner  read  it,  than 
he  fell  into  a  furious  rage,  which  indeed  resembled 
that  of  a  wild  beast,  since  he  straightway  forgot  his 


190  PAUL. 

oath  to  Agrippa  and  what  he  had  already  written  to 
Petronius. 

"They  have  bribed  the  knave  !"  he  roared,  tearing 
at  his  garments  like  a  demoniac.  "  Fetch  me  parch 
ment  that  I  may  write." 

"  Seeing  that  thou  dost  esteem  the  presents  made 
thee  by  the  Jews  to  be  of  greater  value  than  my  com 
mands  (he  wrote)  and  art  grown  insolent  enough  to 
be  subservient  to  their  pleasure,  I  charge  thee  to  be 
come  thine  own  judge,  and  to  consider  what  thou  shalt 
do,  who  art  under  my  displeasure ;  *  for  I  will  make 
thee  an  example  to  the  present  as  well  as  to  all  future 
ages,  that  men  may  not  dare  to  contradict  the  com 
mands  of  their  emperor." 

And  this  letter,  which  was  equivalent  to  a  death- 
warrant,  the  emperor  caused  to  be  sent  to  Petronius 
by  the  hand  of  one  of  his  own  slaves.  Also  he  com 
manded  a  colossal  statue  of  himself  to  be  made  at 
Rome  with  all  possible  speed. 

"  I  will  go  to  Jerusalem,"  he  said,  "  and  myself  see 
to  its  erection  in  the  inmost  shrine  of  their  temple." 

*  An  intimation  of  this  kind  was  equivalent  to  an  order  to 
commit  suicide,  the  recipient  thereof  being  thus  allowed  to 
escape  the  ignominy  of  a  public  execution. 


THE  END  OF  THE  PLAY.  191 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 

THE  END  OF  THE  PLAY. 

CASSIUS  CHAEREAS,  the  tribune  of  the  prae 
torian  cohort,  was  in  an  evil  mood.  It  needed 
but  a  single  glance  at  his  unhealthily  pallid  face  and 
sullen  blood-shot  eyes  to  assure  his  slaves  of  the  fact, 
yet  these  astute  observers  performed  their  customary 
offices  with  none  of  the  cringing  humility  which  might 
have  been  looked  for  under  the  circumstances ;  they 
even  laughed  and  winked  at  one  another  knowingly 
behind  their  master's  back.  Something  of  this  thinly- 
veiled  insolence  became  evident  to  Chaereas  after  a 
time,  for  rousing  himself  from  his  grim  abstraction  he 
ordered  them  out  of  his  presence. 

"  I  care  no  more  than  that  for  his  frown,"  said  one 
of  them,  snapping  his  fingers  contemptuously  as  they 
filed  out  into  the  passage-way.  "  Can  I  not  give 
curse  for  curse  ?  and  are  there  not  gods  in  Egypt  ? 
But  let  him  lay  so  much  as  a  finger's  weight  upon  my 
body—" 

"Ay,  let  him  !"  assented  his  companion  with  a  boast 
ful  laugh.  "Moreover,  he  knows  it ;  who  better? 
And  he  fears  us.  A  year  since  we  should  have  trem 
bled  like  whipped  curs  in  his  presence  ;  now — ha  !  ha  ! 
he  is  forced  to  bite  his  lips  to  keep  back  the  curses, 


192  PAUL. 

lest  we  denounce  him.  Ay !  the  emperor  is  a  good 
father  to  the  oppressed." 

"  Hark  you,"  whispered  another,  thrusting  his 
swarthy  visage  betwixt  the  pair.  "  Have  we  not  had 
enough  of  this  sport,  amusing  as  it  is  ?  I  am  for  cast 
ing  off  even  the  semblance  of  a  chain — and  to-day." 

"  But  bethink  you,  is  he  not  too  high  in  power  ? 
We  might  perchance  burn  our  fingers  in  the  attempt, 
and  fail  of  the  morsel  in  the  end." 

"  Yesterday  Pollux,  the  slave  of  Claudius  the  em 
peror's  kinsman,  denounced  his  master,"  growled  the 
Egyptian.  "  Claudius  will  be  tried  without  delay,  and 
I  wager  a  week's  victual  that  the  prince  dies  and  the 
slave  receives  his  freedom." 

The  others  stared  open-mouthed  at  this  piece  of  in 
telligence.  "He  is  a  bold  fellow,  that  Pollux,"  said 
one  of  them  enviously,  "  if  Claudius  dies  he  will  receive 
a  goodly  sum  of  gold,  I  suppose." 

"  No  less  than  an  eighth  of  the  entire  property, 
together  with  his  freedom,"  said  the  Egyptian  with 
relish.  "  Oh,  but  we  be  driveling  fools  to  groan  in 
slavery  when  we  might  be  free  and  rich." 

"  Fools — yes,  we  be  accursed  fools  to  talk  of  such 
things,"  said  an  old  man,  who  had  not  hitherto  spoken. 
"  Look  at  my  grey  hairs,  comrades,  sixty  years  have  I 
lived  in  slavery  ;  in  my  youth  I  was  sentenced  to  death 
because  I  had  broken  a  crystal  dish  at  a  banquet,  my 
life  was  spared  at  the  entreaty  of  my  master's  son,  who 
had  conceived  an  affection  for  me.  Again,  when  my 
noble  master  was  found  dead  in  his  bed,  all  the  slaves 


THE  END  OF  THE  PLAY.  193 

in  his  dwelling  were  condemned  to  the  sword,  since 
the  physician  could  find  no  reason  for  the  sudden 
stoppage  of  his  breath.  We  who  had  looked  on  at 
the  banquet  that  night  might  have  explained  the 
matter,  since  the  paunch  of  a  noble  contains  no  more 
than  that  of  a  slave.  A  second  time  I  was  spared  at 
the  entreaty  of  the  lad,  who  though  grown  almost  to 
manhood  had  not  forgotten  his  early  kindness.  Look 
you,  that  lad  was  Chaereas,  our  master,  and  he  is  a 
good  master  to  us  all." 

"  The  furies  burn  thee  for  a  meddlesome  old  grey 
beard  !"  cried  the  Egyptian  loudly,  "  take  that  !  may 
it  remind  thee  to  hold  thy  peace  in  the  future,"  and  he 
struck  the  old  man  full  in  the  face  with  his  clenched  fist. 

"  Come,  come,  man,  let  be  ;  old  Gorpius  hath  spoken 
truly  enough,  Chaereas  is  not  a  bad  master,  moreover 
it  must  be  remembered  that  he  is  not  a  rich  man  as 
men  are  accounted  ;  and  'tis  only  men  with  plenty  of 
gold  in  their  coffers  who  may  be  safely  denounced  to 
our  illustrious  emperor." 

"An  eighth  of  what  he  hath  would  content  me," 
muttered  the  other  with  a  black  scowl  at  Gorpius,  who 
was  meekly  wiping  his  bloody  face.  "  The  bell, 
slave  !  art  thou  daft  as  well  as  stupid  ?" 

"  We  must  have  a  care  what  we  say  in  his  hearing 
in  the  future,"  he  continued,  as  the  old  man  hobbled 
away  ;  "  if  our  master  be  not  rich  enough  to  put  to 
death,  yet  if  we  be  nimble-witted  we  shall  soon  find 
cause  for  his  undoing.  Here  comes  Cornelius  Sabinus. 
Watch  him,  I  pray  thee  !" 

13 


194  PAUL. 

"  He  also  hath  an  angry  and  sullen  look  for  so  gay 
a  gallant.  Come,  explain  to  me — since  thou  art  some 
what  of  a  philosopher,  what  profit  may  it  be  to  a  man 
to  be  softly  bedded  and  daintily  fed  when  he  doth 
forget  all  in  his  hates  and  his  loves,  even  as  do  we 
who  are  slaves?" 

"  I  have  a  mind  to  listen  at  the  door  ;  there  be  mis 
chiefs  on  foot." 

"  Ay,  and  lose  thine  ears  for  thy  pains  ;  be  content 
with  what  thine  eyes  shall  tell  thee." 

Behind  the  closed  doors  Chaereas  greeted  his  visitor 
with  a  surly  look  and  an  inarticulate  growl. 

"  Thou  art  in  an  unwholesome  humor  this  morninsr, 

o " 

my  friend,"  remarked  the  new-comer  with  a  keen  look 
at  the  tribune.  "  How  go  our  matters  ?" 

"  How  go  our  matters?"  repeated  Chaereas  irrita 
bly.  "  Nay,  thou  knowest  as  well  as  I.  The  empty 
days  slip  by  one  after  another,  and  we  stand  on  the 
brink  of  liberty,  and  hesitate,  and  grimace,  and  falter, 
like  puny  boys  who  dread  the  plunge  into  the  in 
vigorating  cisterna." 

"The  emperor  starts  to-morrow  for  Alexandria," 
said  Sabinus,  throwing  himself  back  in  his  oaken 
chair,  "and  once  out  of  Rome — " 

"  He  starts  to-morrow  !"  shrieked  Chaereas  spring 
ing  to  his  feet.  "  Who  says  so  ?" 

"  No  less  a  person  than  the  royal  chamberlain 
Codrus,  who  is  one  of  us.  'Tis  a  sudden  resolve 
taken  because  of  something  which  occurred  at  the 
sacrifice  yesterday." 


THE  END  OF  THE  PL  A  Y.  195 

Chaereas  smote  his  hands  together  without  a  word, 
his  haggard  eyes  fastened  feverishly  on  the  face  oppo 
site  him. 

"  The  beast  turned  from  the  altar  and  rushed  into 
the  crowd  just  as  the  priest  lifted  the  sacrificial  knife," 
continued  Sabinus,  "  a  bad  omen,  as  all  the  world 
knows.  Upon  examining  the  entrails  the  augurs  ad 
vised  the  emperor  to  leave  Rome  at  once,  since  the 
air  from  the  marshes  might  prove  deadly  to  him  in 
his  present  state  of  health." 

Chaereas  laughed  aloud  drearily.  "Something 
sharper  than  the  wandering  winds  of  the  marshes 
must  needs  be  called  to  our  aid  to  rid  the  world  of 
this  living  and  walking  death,"  he  said  with  bitter 
emphasis.  "Are  we  men  or  are  we  sluggish  brutes 
that  we  are  content  to  be  the  instruments  of  his  detest 
able  vagaries  ?  Listen,  that  you  may  know  how  low 
I  have  fallen,  then  spit  upon  me.  Yesterday  he  com 
manded  me  to  torture  a  woman  on  the  rack,  to  the 
end  that  she  might  be  forced  to  confess  her  lover 
guilty  of  treason.  The  man  was  innocent  of  the 
charge — I  knew  it,  yet  did  I,  the  tribune  of  the  prae 
torian  cohort,  descend  to  the  office  of  a  low-born 
executioner.  May  the  gods  forgive  me,  the  wretched 
woman's  shrieks  echo  in  my  ears  without  ceasing." 

Sabinus  ground  his  teeth.  "  Did  the  woman  con 
fess  to  the  lie?" 

"  Not  she ;  with  the  courage  of  a  lioness,  she 
refused  even  amid  the  most  horrible  tortures.  After 
ward,  as  I  had  been  ordered,  I  caused  her  to  be  borne 


196  PA  UL. 

into  the  presence  of  the  emperor.  He  stared  at  her 
exquisite  body,  twisted  and  torn  by  the  rack,  as  one 
might  look  upon  a  bit  of  ruined  pastry.  'A  monstrous 
pity,'  he  grunted.  '  She  was  a  handsome  woman.' 
Then  he  turned  to  me  with  an  oath,  'Why  did  you 
rack  her,  fool  ?'  '  I  did  it  at  thy  command,  royal 
master,'  I  made  answer.  He  turned  on  his  heel  with 
another  execration.  '  Take  her  away,'  he  commanded, 
'and  give  her  a  thousand  talents — from  thine  own 
coffers,  knave,  since  thou  hast  tortured  her.'  This  I 
did  gladly  enough,  though  it  well-nigh  stripped  me." 

"  Why  didst  thou  not  strike  him  dead  upon  the 
body  of  the  woman?"  demanded  Sabinus,  his  eyes 
blazing.  "  She  is  but  one  out  of  a  thousand  who  cry 
for  justice  upon  this  monster." 

"Why  did  I  not  strike  him  dead?"  repeated  Chae- 
reas  bitterly.  "O  why — why?  Who  after  all  am  I  ? 
Why  not  the  senate,  which  he  has  scorned  and  out 
raged  ?  Why  not  the  nobles,  whose  wives  and  daugh 
ters  he  has  insulted,  and  whose  sons  he  has  murdered  ? 
Why  not  the  army,  whole  legions  of  which  he  has  deci 
mated?  Why  not  the  immortal  gods,  whose  faces  he  has 
spit  upon  ?  Nay,  why  docs  not  eternal  Rome  herself 
arise  from  her  seven  hills,  seize  this  demon  and  thrust 
him  down  into  the  smoking  pit  of  unending  torment  ?" 

Cornelius  Sabinus  arose  to  his  feet.  "  The  matter 
must  be  accomplished,  and  now,"  he  said  in  cold  even 
tones.  "  If  thou  who  hast  undertaken  this  matter 
dost  hesitate  longer,  I  swear  that  I  will  to-day  strike 
the  blow  in  the  face  of  all  Rome." 


THE  END  OF  THE  FLA  Y.  197 

Chaereas  seized  him  by  the  arm.  "  Look  you,"  he 
whispered  hoarsely,  "  this  hand  and  no  other  shall 
strike  that  blow  !  So  may  the  gods  restore  to  me  my 
lost  honor." 

In  the  theatre  which  the  emperor  had  lately  caused 
to  be  built  in  the  garden  connected  with  his  palace,  a 
tumultuous  throng  assembled  on  this  the  fifth  and  last 
day  of  the  games.  Men,  women  and  children,  from 
every  rank  of  society  poured  into  the  enclosure  in  such 
multitudes  that  the  ushers  were  unable  to  perform 
their  duties. 

Caius  Caesar,  who  was  already  in  his  place  observed 
this.  "  By  my  faith,"  he  said  with  unwonted  geniality 
to  Sabinus  who  stood  at  his  right  hand,  "  we  see  to 
day  a  great  sight.  Men,  women,  nobles,  senators, 
soldiers  and  slaves  sitting  together  without  regard  to 
rank  or  station.  See  to  it  some  of  you  that  plenty  of 
fruits  be  flung  among  them." 

"  The  matter  has  already  been  attended  to,  accord 
ing  to  custom,"  replied  Sabinus  bowing. 

The  emperor  shivered.  "  I  am  cold,"  he  whined 
fretfully,  "  where  is  my  furred  mantle  ?"  He  looked 
uneasily  about  him,  at  the  marble  benches  ranged  in 
semi-circular  tiers,  and  crowded  to  the  very  roof  with 
gaily-dressed  people,  at  the  stage  where  the  play  was 
already  beginning,  at  the  decorous  faces  of  his  attend 
ants,  at  his  own  pallid  hands  loaded  with  gems.  That 
strange  sensation  of  cold,  a  heavy  breathless  chill  like 
that  from  a  newly-opened  vault,  still  oppressed  him  ; 
again  he  shivered.  Chaereas,  the  tribune,  stood  at  his 


198  PA  UL. 

side,  his  face  as  blank  and  expressionless  as  one  of  the 
carven  masks  above  his  head. 

"  My  good  Chaereas !"  said  the  emperor  softly, 
leaning  forward. 

The  tribune  did  not  stir.  The  senator  Asprenas 
touched  him  upon  the  shoulder.  "  The  emperor  is 
addressing  you,"  he  whispered.  Chaereas  raised  his 
eyes  and  fixed  them  upon  his  master  ;  he  did  not  move 
from  his  place,  and  he  spoke  no  word  of  apology  or 
explanation. 

"  My  good  Chaereas,"  continued  the  emperor 
suavely,  "  hast  thou  paid  the  woman  Quintilia  the 
thousand  talents,  as  I  bade  thee?" 

"  The  money  has  been  paid,"  said  Chaereas  in  a  low 
voice,  his  dull  unwinking  eyes  still  resting  upon  the 
face  of  his  royal  questioner. 

"  '  Twas  scarce  needful  that  I  should  ask,  my  brave 
tribune  ;  for  me  to  command  is  for  thee  to  obey.  But 
know  that  I  now  restore  to  thee  the  sum  fourfold,  in 
token  of  my  appreciation  of  thy  distinguished  ser 
vices." 

Chaereas  raised  his  hand  in  a  military  salute,  his 
face  contracting  painfully  ;  he  opened  his  mouth  as  if 
to  speak,  but  no  sound  came  forth  ;  turning  abruptly 
he  left  the  royal  presence. 

The  emperor  looked  after  him  thoughtfully.  "  Our 
brave  tribune  is  overcome  with  gratitude,"  he  said 
aloud  drily.  Inwardly  he  was  thinking,  "  The  man 
hates  me  ;  he  is  dangerous  ;  he  must  die."  Again  he 
looked  down  at  his  feeble  nerveless  hands,  and  a  sud- 


THE  END  OF  THE  PLAY.  199 

den  sickening  sense  of  his  own  helplessness  overpow 
ered  him.  "  They  all  hate  me,"  he  muttered,  "  but 
how  can  I  slay  them,  and  alone  ?  They  hate  me ; 
and  I — hate,  hate,  hate." 

He  raised  his  eyes  and  fixed  them  indifferently  upon 
the  stage.  The  play  represented  the  fortunes  of  a 
wandering  robber  chieftain  who  in  the  course  of  the 
drama  was  to  be  crucified  :  the  part  of  the  robber 
had  been  taken  by  the  actor  Apelles,  but  now  that  the 
scene  of  the  crucifixion  was  reached,  a  condemned 
criminal,  tricked  out  in  the  properties  of  the  actor, 
was  dragged  onto  the  stage,  that  the  scene  might 
be  properly  realistic.  This  being  one  of  the  empe 
ror's  own  devices  he  was  wont  to  watch  the  stage 
with  delighted  eagerness,  but  to-day  there  was  some 
thing  offensive  in  the  shrieks  of  the  wretch  as  they 
nailed  him  upon  his  cross. 

"  I  am  weary  of  all  this,"  he  muttered,  as  the 
theatre  rang  with  wild  applause. 

"Why  not  visit  the  bath,  royal  master,"  suggested 
Codrus,  who  stood  behind  his  chair.  "Afterward 
dine,  and  return  to  the  theatre  rested  and  refreshed ; 
when  the  play  is  finished  the  pantomimes  must  still  be 
performed,  and  the  choruses." 

The  emperor  grasped  the  arms  of  his  chair,  "  I  will 
go,"  he  said,  looking  vaguely  and  irresolutely  about 
him. 

Minucianus  arose  quietly  as  if  to  pass  out. 

"  Whither  art  thou  going,  O  brave  senator  ?"  said 
the  emperor,  laying  a  detaining  hand  upon  his  shoul- 


200  PAUL. 

der ;  the  man  dropped  into  his  place  again  without  a 
word,  but  a  moment  later,  with  a  whispered  aside  to 
Sabinus,  who  stood  just  behind  him,  he  slipped  away 
unnoticed. 

Caius  still  sat  in  his  place,  his  head  dropped  for 
ward  upon  his  breast,  his  lips  moving  as  if  he  talked 
with  himself. 

"Thou  art  over-weary,  gracious  majesty,"  said  As- 
prenas,  bending  deferentially  over  him.  "  Would  it 
not  be  well  to  withdraw  for  rest  and  refreshment?" 

The  emperor  looked  up,  his  dull  eyes  full  of  vague 
bewildered  questionings  like  those  of  a  tired  child. 

"Yes,  my  friend,"  he  said  slowly,  passing  his  hand 
across  his  eyes.  "  I  am  weary.  It  has  been  a  long 
day — a  long,  long  day ;  I  will  get  me  to  my  rest." 

Then  he  arose  and  went  out,  Asprenas  following. 


INTERREGNUM.  201 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

INTERREGNUM. 

ROME,  the  mighty  lioness,  whipped  into  cowardice, 
starved  into  submission,  arose  and  shook  her 
tawny  sides  ;  she  had  heard  a  cry,  a  strange  wild  cry, 
beginning  with  the  feeble  moan  of  a  dying  man,  and 
swelling  anon  into  a  fierce  jubilant  paean  of  triumph. 
"  The  Caesar  is  dead  !  Rome  is  free  !"  At  the  sound 
the  yellow  light  in  the  eyes  of  the  starving  brute 
blazed  into  liquid  flame  ;  with  a  thunderous  roar  of 
joy  she  leapt  forth  unhindered  into  the  night,  to  tear, 
to  rend,  to  devour. 

At  the  imperial  palace  lights  sparkled  from  every 
window.  Great  fires  burned  briskly  on  the  marble 
pavements  of  the  inclosed  court-yards,  lighting  up 
luridly  the  faces  of  the  mob  which  surged  in  and  out 
of  the  open  doorways.  Now  and  again  some  one  would 
fling  upon  the  blazing  heaps  an  armful  of  broken  fur 
niture. 

"  Look  you,  brave  comrades  !"  yelled  a  drunken 
soldier,  holding  a  carved  and  gilded  cradle  high  above 
his  head.  "  Here  slept  the  child  of  the  Caesar ;  my 
child  lies  upon  rags  !" 

"  Into  the  fire  with  it !"  roared  a  dozen  voices  in 
reply. 


202  PA  UL. 

"The  babe  will  sleep  sound  enough  without  it, 
pretty  dear,"  muttered  an  old  woman,  who  was  warm 
ing  her  shriveled  fingers  at  the  fire.  "Ay,  sound  and 
long,  all  three,  the  gods  be  praised !  Hast  thou  seen 
them,  wench?"  turning  to  a  woman  at  her  side,  who 
held  a  crying  baby  in  her  arms. 

"  No,"  answered  the  woman  eagerly,  "  where  be 
they?  I  have  but  just  come,"  she  added  fretfully; 
"  my  husband  is  here  somewhere  ;  he  will  get  no  plun 
der  worth  the  having  unless  I  look  to  it,  he  thinks 
only  of  the  wine.  Hush  thee,  hush  thee,  child — nay 
I  am  weary  of  thee,  and  that  is  the  truth." 

"  Hegh,  girl !  'tis  an  evil  thing  to  say,  and  of  thy 
first-born  too ;  what  wilt  thou  do  when  there  are  half 
a  score  of  them,  all  hanging  about  thy  skirts  and  cry 
ing  for  bread  ?  Give  the  lad  to  me  ;  I  will  wrap  him 
from  the  cold  in  this  bit  of  the  emperor's  tunic.  Ay  ! 
thou  mayst  look  and  look,  girl ;  I  took  it  with  my 
own  hands,  he  will  want  it  no  more ;  it  shall  warm 
honest  flesh  to-night.  But  come,  till  I  shall  show  thee 
a  fine  sight — a  beautiful  sight.  Besides,  I  know  where 
to  find  some  pretty  robes,  fit  to  set  off  those  black 
eyes  and  red  cheeks,  my  girl." 

"  Where  be  the  pretty  things  ?"  demanded  the 
young  woman,  "  I  will  go  there  first.  I  want  a  neck 
lace  of  red  stones — a  mirror — a  purple  tunic  broidered 
with  gold,  and — " 

"  Yes,  yes  !  Thou  shalt  have  them  all  and  more  ; 
I  know  where  to  look  for  them.  But  come  along  first 
and  see  what  my  old  eyes  have  ached  to  behold  for 


INTERREGNUM.  203 

many  a  long  day.  Ay,  a  merry  sight — a  goodly 
sight !" 

"  But  they  will  get  everything,"  whimpered  the  girl, 
glancing  with  longing  eyes  into  the  half-open  doors, 
past  which  her  guide  was  hurrying  her.  "  Look  !  they 
are  pulling  out  beautiful  robes  now — and  veils,  and 
tearing  them  to  bits.  Stop,  I  must  have  some  !" 

"  Never  fear,  my  beauty,  I  know  where  there  are 
a  plenty  more,  and  a  thousand  times  handsomer. 
Just  a  moment  of  time,  girl,  and  thou  shalt  see  what 
thou  shalt  not  forget  to  thy  dying  day — be  it  near  or 
far.  Look  there  !" 

"  Give  me  the  babe,"  said  the  young  mother,  in  a 
low  voice. 

"  Ay,  take  him  ;  I  will  hold  the  torch.  Now, 
canst  thou  see  ?  Come  nearer,  wench.  There  is 
naught  to  hurt  the  feeblest  life  in  Rome  in  this  heap 
of  dead  flesh.  The  gods  be  praised  for  it !" 

The  other  drew  back  from  the  formless  motionless 
mass  which  lay  upon  the  floor  at  her  feet.  "  Look  !" 
she  whispered  with  a  shudder,  pointing  to  the  dark 
pool  which  crept  slowly  and  crookedly  toward  her 
across  the  marble  pavement.  "  I  must  not  stay,"  she 
added  hurriedly  ;  "  'twill  be  ill  luck  for  the  child." 

"  111  luck  !"  screamed  the  hag.  "  111  luek  !  Fool ! 
A  better  day  never  dawned  for  the  child,  and  a  mer 
rier  sight  than  this  was  never  looked  upon.  It  means 
freedom  and  plenty  in  place  of  chains  and  starvation. 
See,  they  are  all  here."  And  she  lifted  the  smoking 
torch  high  above  her  head. 


204  PAUL. 

The  younger  woman  stared  for  a  long  moment  in 
fascinated  silence,  the  child  in  her  arms  cooing  and 
stretching  out  its  little  fingers  toward  the  light. 

"Why  did  they  kill — the  woman?"  she  faltered  at 
length  ;  "  and — the  babe  ?  Surely  the  little  one  had 
done  no  harm." 

"The  woman  was  his  wife.  The  child  was  his 
child.  When  they  hunt  the  mad  wolf  of  the  fens  and 
haply  track  him  to  his  lair,  do  they  spare  the  she-wolf 
and  the  whelp  ?  Come,  we  will  eat  and  drink,  then 
shalt  thou  array  thyself  in  her  royal  robes — who  hath 
no  need  further  save  for  a  winding  sheet." 

In  another  part  of  the  palace  a  group  of  soldiers 
were  tramping  noisily  down  one  of  the  long  corridors. 

"  Liberty  is  the  watchword  of  the  night,  and  liberty 
it  shall  be  !"  yelled  the  foremost,  stopping  before  a 
closed  door.  "  Locked,  by  Hercules  !  Let  us  see  to 
this,  comrades.  Together  !  with  a  will  !" 

The  door  fell  with  a  loud  crash  and  the  assailants 
rushed  in.  A  lamp  which  burned  upon  a  large  oaken 
table  in  the  centre  of  the  room  flickered  wildly  in  the 
rushing  draught.  One  of  the  soldiers  caught  it  up, 
and  shielding  the  flame  with  his  broad  palm  looked 
keenly  about  him  by  the  reviving  light.  "  Parchments 
as  thick  as  leaves  in  Autumn,  pens,  an  inkhorn," 
he  enumerated,  "  more  parchments,  a  pile  of  scrolls, 
a—" 

"  Bah  !  We  have  blundered  into  the  lair  of  a 
scrivener,"  roared  another  with  an  oath.  "There  is 
nothing  here  ;  come  on  !" 


INTERREGNUM.  20-5 

"Stay,  what  is  this?"  said  a  third,  who  had  been 
exploring  the  apartment  on  his  own  account.  "  Hold 
the  light !"  he  added  impatiently. 

"  I  see  a  pair  of  legs,"  quoth  the  man  with  the  light, 
staring  hard  at  a  crimson  curtain  from  beneath  which 
the  limbs  in  question  protruded.  "  Our  scrivener  hath 
betaken  him  to  his  couch  with  such  haste  that  he  hath 
forgotten  his  nether  appendages." 

The  soldiers  greeted  this  sally  with  a  roar  of  laugh 
ter  ;  the  legs  in  question  twitched  convulsively. 

"  He  hath  a  rheum  in  his  feet  for  it,"  said  one, 
"what  think  you  good  Petrus,  thou'rt  somewhat  of  a 
leech,  shall  we  bleed  him  ?" 

The  legs  trembled  violently,  and  a  stifled  moan  was 
heard  from  behind  the  curtain. 

"  Reach  me  thy  sword,  comrade,  'tis  sharper  than 
mine,"  replied  the  man  who  was  called  Petrus,  with  a 
wink.  "  I  will  even  prick  this  scrivener  at  thy  sug 
gestion,  that  we  may  see  whether  his  veins  be  not 
swollen  with  over-much  application  to  the  inkhorn." 

At  this  the  curtain  was  flung  violently  aside  and  a 
strange  disheveled  figure  tumbled  out  upon  the  floor. 
"  Mercy  !  have  mercy  !"  it  shrieked,  clutching  wildly 
at  the  knees  of  the  soldiers.  "  I  have  done  no  harm 
— no  harm  at  all — I  swear  it !  Do  not  kill  me  !  For 
the  love  of  the  gods,  spare  me  !  spare  me  !" 

"Thou'rt  too  noisy  by  half,  friend  scrivener,"  said 
one  of  the  soldiers  coolly.  "  Come,  I  will  make  of 
thee  a  scrivener  to  his  majesty,  Caius  Caesar,"  and  he 
drew  his  sword. 


206  PAUL. 

"  Not  so  fast,  comrade,"  remarked  the  soldier  who 
held  the  lamp,  fixing  his  eyes  thoughtfully  upon  the 
man  at  his  feet,  who  still  poured  forth  a  torrent  of 
prayers  and  entreaties,  mixed  with  loud  blubbering 
like  that  of  a  whipped  school-boy. 

"  Why  not,  good  Gratus.  We  waste  time,"  said 
the  other,  impatiently  brandishing  his  weapon.  At  the 
sight  the  wretch  on  the  floor  burst  out  anew. 

"Why  shouldst  thou  kill  me,  good,  sweet  soldier? 
I  swear  I  do  no  harm  !  I  want  to  live — to  live — only 
to  live  !  Oh,  spare  me — spare  me — spare  me  !" 

"  Look  you,  comrades,"  said  Gratus  with  much 
seriousness  ;  "  this  man's  life  may  be  worth  a  thousand 
talents  apiece  to  us.  Ay,  and  more,  if  we  but  play 
our  game  aright.  This  is  Germanicus." 

"  Germanicus  !"  cried  the  others.     "Who  is  he?" 

"  Claudius  Caesar  Germanicus,  the  uncle  of  the  late 
emperor,  and  therefore  next  of  kin  and  lawful  heir  to 
the  throne." 

"  Away  with  him  then  !  we  want  no  more  emperors  !" 

"  Hold  hard,  comrades  ;  an  emperor  is  as  good  as 
a  consul  any  day.  What  will  it  advantage  us  to  fight 
and  starve  under  Chaereas,  or  Lepidus,  or  any  one  of 
them  ?  they  be  all  covetous  knaves.  Let  us  make 
this  Claudius  emperor,  then  will  he  make  us  rich. 
Hear  now,  Claudius,  if  we  spare  thee  and  make  thee 
emperor  wilt  thou  swear  to  remember  us  ?" 

But  Claudius  was  past  understanding,  the  horrors 
of  that  awful  night  had  quite  swept  away  for  the 
moment  the  little  wit  that  he  possessed.  He  could 


INTERREGNUM.  207 

only  moan  and  blubber,  his  fat  pallid  face,  streaked 
with  tears  and  dirt,  twisted  into  a  ludicrous  semblance 
of  a  colicky  baby's. 

"The  man  is  a  fool !"  said  Petrus  contemptuously. 
"  He  could  not  be  emperor." 

"  Better  a  fool  than  a  madman,"  replied  Gratus 
coolly.  "  Nay,  the  more  fool  the  better.  Come,  we 
will  take  him  to  the  camp." 

In  an  upper  room  of  his  house  Herod  Agrippa  sat 
moodily  contemplating  the  space  of  blank  wall  oppo 
site  his  chair.  The  visions  which  he  saw  there  must 
needs  have  been  unhappy  ones,  for  his  lips  moved 
angrily,  and  from  time  to  time  he  dashed  his  closed 
fist  violently  down  upon  the  carven  arm  of  his  chair. 
"  Fool  that  I  was,"  he  muttered,  rising  and  walking 
restlessly  up  and  down,  "  blinded  by  my  own  little 
resentment  I  left  him  to  fall  a  victim  to  this  accursed 
conspiracy,  which  will  ruin  me  as  it  has  slain  him. 
— Ah,  Cypros,  what  wilt  thou  ?" 

"  I  would  know  what  hath  happened,  my  lord  ;  the 
most  frightful  rumors  are  abroad." 

"  Not  more  frightful  than  the  reality,"  said  Agrippa 
gloomily.  "  The  emperor  is  dead,  and  with  him 
Cesonia  and  the  child." 

"  God  in  heaven  !"  exclaimed  Cypros  faintly.  "  Why 
the  empress  and  the  babe  ?" 

"  I  would  have  concealed  his  body  at  once  and 
feigned  that  he  still  lived  ;  thus  order  might  have  been 
maintained,  the  murderers  apprehended,  and  the  matter 
of  the  succession  duly  arranged;  and  this  course  I 


208  PA  UL. 

urged  upon  the  empress,  but  she  was  quite  mad  and 
distracted  with  horror — a  weak  woman  at  the  best. 
'  I  must  go  to  him !'  she  shrieked ;  with  that  she 
caught  the  child  from  the  arms  of  its  nurse  and  fled 
wailing  to  the  place  where  the  body  was  lying.  And 
there  Lupus  and  another  of  the  accursed  brood  of  con 
spirators  came  upon  her  crying  out  to  heaven  for 
vengeance  upon  the  murderers  of  her  dear  lord. 
There  was  one  speedy  way  to  silence  those  shrieks, 
that  way  the  wretches  chose.  As  for  the  child ;  it 
was  his  child." 

"What  will  happen  now?" 

"  Thou  mayst  well  ask  that  question,  woman  !  We 
are  ruined — nothing  less.  A  friend  of  Caius  Caesar's, 
I  shall  be  set  down  an  enemy  to  Rome  by  these  so- 
called  patriots.  '  Rome  is  free !  Rome  is  free !' 
howl  the  mob ;  they  are  sacking  the  palace  now. 
The  Senate  has  convened  to  consider  the  situation. 
The  murderers  congratulate  one  another  openly.  I 
see  no  hope — no  hope." 

"  Listen  !"  exclaimed  Cypros  suddenly,  "  What  is 
it  that  they  are  shouting?" 

Agrippa  flung  open  the  casement  and  thrust  his 
head  out  into  the  darkness.  "  Something  has  hap 
pened  !"  he  said  at  length.  "  I  must  look  to  it  !" 

Something  had  indeed  happened  ;  the  sounds  which 
reached  them  in  that  upper  room,  were  the  shouts  of 
the  soldiers  in  the  praetorian  camp  as  they  hailed 
Claudius  Caesar,  emperor  of  Rome  ! 


CLAUDIUS  CAESAR.  209 


CHAPTER   XX. 

CLAUDIUS    C^SAR. 

THE  conspirators  had    sent   for    Herod  Agrippa 
that  they  might  ask  his  opinion  with  regard  to 
the  disturbed  state  of  affairs. 

"He  is  a  dangerous  man,"  said  Minucianus  ;  "we 
shall  do  well  to  enlist  his  sympathies  upon  our  side." 
And  this  it  appeared  was  surprisingly  easy  to  do. 
Agrippa  had  asked  gravely  for  full  information  regard 
ing  the  events  which  had  transpired,  and  of  which  he 
professed  entire  ignorance. 

"  It  is  true  that  Caius  Caesar  was  my  friend,"  he  said 
with  becoming  seriousness ;  "  he  heaped  upon  me 
many  benefits  by  way  of  requital  for  what  I  unjustly 
suffered  at  the  hands  of  Tiberius  ;  but  think  not  that 
therefore  my  eyes  were  blinded  to  his  character.  In 
slaying  him  ye  have  acted  the  part  of  noble  patriots, 
nor  shall  ye  lose  your  reward."  He  paused  and 
looked  impressively  about  him.  "  Now  with  regard 
to  the  pretensions  of  this  Claudius  ;  he  is  harmless 
enough,  and  a  good  man,  yet  withal  not  fit  to  hold  the 
reins  of  government,  in  that  he  is  feeble  in  mind  and 
infirm  of  purpose.  He  must  be  persuaded  to  retire 
from  the  camp  of  the  praetorians,  and  at  once." 

"  He  shall  be  forced  to  retire,"  said  Chaereas  hotly. 
"  Our  course  is  clear ;  a  part  of  the  army  is  with  us, 

14 


210  PA  UL. 

and  we  can  free  the  slaves,  thus  binding  them  to  our 
interests." 

"True,  O  wise  tribune,"  replied  Agrippa  with  a 
deferential  air.  "  Yet  to  meet  the  disciplined  legions 
of  Rome  with  a  horde  of  untrained  freedmen  would 
imply  an  issue  by  no  means  doubtful.  If  Claudius 
can  but  be  persuaded  to  lay  down  his  pretentions 
peaceably,  the  army  will  at  once  fall  under  the  direc 
tion  of  the  senate,  the  horrors  of  a  civil  war  will  be 
averted,  and  all  will  be  well  both  with  the  country  and 
its  rulers." 

"Thou  hast  spoken  wisely."  said  one  Brocchus,  a 
senator,  "  but  to  persuade  the  man  will  not  be  an  easy 
task,  since  he  hath  had  already  a  taste  of  power." 

"  I  offer  myself  as  ambassador,"  cried  Agrippa 
boldly.  "  If  the  man  refuse  to  listen  to  justice  and 
reason,  then  may  we  think  of  employing  force." 

This  suggestion  was  approved  ;  three  ambassadors, 
of  whom  one  was  Agrippa,  were  chosen  to  wait  upon 
Claudius  Caesar,  so-called  emperor  of  Rome. 

Claudius  Caesar,  for  half  a  century  the  unhappy 
butt  of  his  royal  kinsfolk,  had  come  at  last  to  be 
master  of  the  civilized  world. 

"  Claudius  is  too  nearly  an  imbecile  to  be  emperor," 
Tiberius  had  said  scornfully,  and  had  passed  over  his 
claims  to  the  succession  with  no  further  comment. 

"  Claudius  is  a  monstrosity,  which  nature  began  but 
never  finished,"  his  mother  Antonia  was  wont  to 
declare  with  a  sneer. 

"  Claudius  is  the  most  amusing  person  at  court," 


CLAUDIUS  C^SAR.  211 

observed  Caius,  "  when  he  is  sober  he  is  a  historian ; 
when  drunk  a  clown,  and  whether  drunk  or  sober,  he 
is  first,  last,  and  always  a  fool." 

Having  recovered  at  length  from  his  not  unreason 
able  fears  of  assassination,  he  had  received  the  intelli 
gence  of  his  good  fortune  with  solemn  joy.  To  the 
fact  that  the  senate  was  almost  in  arms  against  him, 
that  the  city  was  torn  with  contending  factions,  that 
even  the  army  to  which  he  owed  his  precarious  posi 
tion  was  of  two  minds  regarding  his  succession,  he 
seemed  entirely  oblivious.  "  I  must  have  a  throne," 
he  said  seriously,  "  else  how  can  I  be  emperor  ?  also 
purple  robes  and  jewels  ;  I  will  not  remain  longer  in 
the  camp  ;  if  Caius  be  dead  and  I  emperor,  why  should 
I  not  return  to  the  palace  at  once  ? — Moreover  there 
are  my  parchments  to  be  attended  to." 

"  It  is  impossible  for  your  majesty  to  return  to  the 
palace  until  it  be  put  in  fit  order  for  your  reception," 
said  Codrus.  This  astute  personage  had  followed  the 
soldiers  from  the  palace  to  the  camp  on  the  memor 
able  night  in  which  they  had  discovered  Claudius,  and 
being  familiar  with  the  character  of  the  new  monarch 
had  lost  no  time  in  establishing  himself  as  one  of  his 
principal  advisers.  "They  say,"  he  added,  lowering 
his  voice,  "that  the  spirit  of  the  murdered  man  haunts 
the  place,  and  that  the  cries  of  the  child  are  heard  at 
night  from  the  corridor  where  it  died." 

Claudius  grew  pale.  "  Then  by  the  immortal  gods 
I  will  never  return  !  But  what  then  shall  I  do?"  he 
whined  fretfully,  "this  is  no  place  for  an  emperor." 


212  PAUL. 

"  There  are  many  palaces  in  Rome,  divine  majesty," 
began  Codrus  soothingly,  but  Claudius  interrupted 
him  with  a  violent  wave  of  the  hand. 

"  Do  not  call  me  divine,"  he  whispered,  "  '  twas  that 
that  killed  him ;  the  gods  were  angry. — Nay,  I  am 
but  a  man — a  feeble  man,"  he  added  in  a  loud  voice, 
as  if  to  propitiate  any  jealous  divinity  who  might  be 
listening.  "Yet  am  I  also  emperor  of  Rome,"  and 
he  heaved  a  long  sigh  of  satisfaction  and  looked  about 
him  complacently.  "Why  do  not  the  senate  send  to 
me  for  orders  ?"  he  inquired  after  a  pause. 

"  The  senate  has  been  thrown  into  great  confusion 
by  late  events,"  began  Codrus,  his  face  growing  sud 
denly  dark  as  he  perceived  that  Agrippa  had  just  been 
admitted  into  the  royal  presence. 

"  Master  of  the  world,  I  salute  thee  !"  said  the  Jew, 
kneeling  gracefully  and  kissing  the  fat  flaccid  hand 
which  was  extended  to  him.  "  I  have  matters  of  im 
portance  for  thy  royal  ear.  I  would  therefore  request 
a  short  time  alone  with  your  majesty." 

Claudius  glanced  timidly  at  the  scowling  face  of  his 
attendant,  but  did  not  speak. 

"  Out  of  the  way,  slave,"  said  Agrippa  with  a 
haughty  gesture  of  dismissal.  "  I  have  no  time  to 
waste." 

Codrus  burst  into  a  loud  derisive  laugh,  then  slowly 
and  deliberately  he  turned  his  back  upon  the  pair  and 
left  the  tent. 

"Impudent  dog!"  said  Agrippa,  "Why  dost  thou 
tolerate  the  fellow  about  thy  person?" 


CLA  UDIUS  C^SAR.  213 

"  He  is  a  useful  knave — a  clever  knave,"  said  Clau 
dius.  "  A  pretty  hand  at  the  dice  too  ;  I  have  already 
lost  to  him  more  than  I  rightly  know  since  I  came  to 
this  place  ;  a  man  must  do  something  to  pass  away 
the  time." 

"  Your  majesty  will  do  well  to  employ  these  hours 
in  considering  the  very  grave  situation,"  said  Agrippa 
frowning.  "  If  now  there  should  be  war — " 

"  War  !"  exclaimed  Claudius  starting  from  his  chair. 
"  No,  no,  my  friend,  there  will  be  no  war — no  killing 
of  any  sort ;  I  will  not  hear  of  it."  His  heavy  good- 
natured  face  had  grown  quite  pale  ;  he  leaned  forward 
and  seized  Agrippa  by  the  sleeve,  "  Look  you,  friend," 
he  whispered,  "  I  hate  blood — I  hate  it,  dost  thou 
hear  ?  I  will  have  none  of  it.  There  shall  be  peace, 
and — money,  plenty  of  it,  shall  be  given  to  the  people. 
I  have  s'aid  it ;  I  am  emperor."  He  leaned  back  in 
his  chair  after  this  outburst  and  looked  about  him 
vaguely.  "I  am'  emperor,  am  I  not?"  he  faltered, 
turning  again  to  Agrippa.  "  The  soldiers  yonder  are 
not  making  sport  of  me  ?" 

"Assuredly  thou  art  emperor,"  said  Agrippa  impa 
tiently,  "  but  beware,  lest  thou  be  torn  from  thy  high 
estate.  I  tell  thee  plainly  that  the  senate  are  as  one 
man  against  thee,  and  that  a  part  of  the  legionaries  are 
with  them.  They  will  liberate  the  slaves,  furnish  them 
with  weapons,  and  thus  form  a  great  army  with  which 
to  force  compliance  with  their  demands,  unless  thou 
shalt  yield  peaceably." 

"  I  yield  !     I  yield  !"  cried  Claudius,  rolling  up  his 


214  PAUL. 

eyes  in  manifest  terror.  "  Tell  them  so,  good  Agrippa, 
at  once.  What  is  it  that  they  want  of  me  ?" 

"  They  want  of  thee  nothing  less  than  a  complete 
renunciation  of  the  throne,"  said  Agrippa,  studying 
with  deliberation  the  face  of  the  man  before  him. 
"  They  demand  that  thou  shalt  cease  to  be  emperor, 
and  become  again  Claudius  Germanicus,  a  citizen  of 
Rome." 

Claudius  stared  vacantly  before  him  for  a  moment, 
then  his  chin  quivered,  his  eyes  overflowed  with  tears 
and  he  burst  into  loud  sobs.  "  I  will  not  cease  to  be 
emperor,"  he  blubbered.  "  No,  I  will  not !  Why, 
look  you,  good  Agrippa,  I  have  not  even  sat  upon  a 
throne  as  yet ;  they  said  I  should  be  emperor,"  with  a 
feeble  gesture  in  the  direction  of  the  guard  which  could 
be  seen  pacing  slowly  backward  and  forward  before 
the  door  of  the  tent.  "Tliey  promised  it." 

Agrippa  smiled  darkly.  "Listen  !"  he  said  sternly. 
"  This  is  no  time  for  womanish  tears  ;  thou  hast  said 
aright,  the  army — the  imperial,  all-powerful  army,  has 
willed  that  thou  shalt  be  emperor,  and  emperor  thou 
shalt  be,  despite  the  empty  threats  of  the  senate,  if  only 
thou  shalt  listen  and  heed  what  I  shall  presently  say 
to  thee." 

"  I  am  listening,"  said  Claudius,  rubbing  his  wet 
eyes  with  the  backs  of  his  pudgy  hands.  "  What 
must  I  do?" 

"An  embassy  from  the  senate — of  which  I  shall  be 
one — will  shortly  wait  upon  thee,"  said  Agrippa, 
speaking  slowly  and  clearly  as  if  to  a  child.  "  They 


CLAUDIUS  CJESA R.  215 

will  demand  of  thee  that  thou  shalt  utterly  renounce 
all  claims  to  the  throne,  that  thou  shalt  at  once  leave 
the  camp  of  the  praetorians,  and  further  that  thou 
shalt  yield  thyself  to  them  in  due  obedience  as  a  sim 
ple  citizen  of  Rome,  in  return  for  which  concessions 
they  will  promise  thee  their  gracious  protection,  to 
gether  with  means  of  sustenance  and  support.  Yet 
do  not  forget  that  the  hands  which  extend  to  thee  this 
so-called  protection  are  dripping  with  the  blood  of  thy 
kinsman." 

"  I  will  not  yield  !"  declared  Claudius  stoutly. 

"Bravely  spoken!"  cried  Agrippa,  with  flattering 
emphasis,  "  thou  hast  the  spirit  of  the  war-like  em 
perors  of  old.  Thou  wilt  not  yield,  and  why  ?  What 
can  the  senate,  torn  into  a  thousand  factions  and  threat 
ened  with  complete  disruption,  supported,  moreover, 
by  a  mere  fragment  of  the  army,  what,  I  say,  can  it 
do  ?  Let  them  free  the  slaves,  what  then  ?  Can  a 
mass  of  raw,  unorganized  troops  meet  the  disciplined 
legions  of  the  empire?" 

Claudius  laughed  aloud.  "  They  will  not  try  it," 
he  said  boastfully.  "  I  will  give  the  soldiers  money, 
plenty  of  money  ;  they  like  that.  I  will  give  them — 
five  thousand  drachmae  apiece,  what  sayst  thou?" 

Agrippa  raised  his  brows  in  astonishment.  "  'Tis 
an  extravagant  sum,"  he  said,  "yet,  if  it  gain  the  bal 
ance  of  the  army — yes,  give  it.  'Tis  no  ordinary  game 
that  we  play." 

Claudius  comprehended  this  language  perfectly,  for 
he  was  a  confirmed  gambler.  He  nodded  his  big 


216  PA  UL. 

head  knowingly  and  snapped  his  fingers  with  a  gleeful 
laugh. 

"  Ha  !  ha  !  thou'rt  a  pretty  fellow,  Agrippa — a 
knowing  fellow ;  if  we  win  this  game,  thou  and  I,  I 
swear  that  thou  shalt  lose  nothing  by  it.  Caius  gave 
thee  a  kingdom,  but  I  can  make  it  a  bigger  kingdom." 

Agrippa's  eyes  sparkled,  he  drew  a  long  breath. 
"This  man,"  he  thought  within  himself,  "is  no  fool 
after  all."  Aloud  he  said  gravely,  "  Your  majesty  is 
more  than  generous  ;  but  believe  me,  I  have  allowed 
no  selfish  considerations  to  influence  me  in  this  matter, 
which  is  world-wide  in  its  importance.  I  must  leave 
thee  now,  but  do  not  fail  to  answer  the  senate  as  be- 
cometh  the  master  of  the  world,  and  the  gods  grant 
thee  prosperity." 

"  Do  not  leave  me,  good  Agrippa,"  implored  Clau 
dius,  "  first  tell  me  what  I  must  say  to  them,  that  I 
make  no  false  move  in  the  game." 

An  hour  later  the  embassy  from  the  senate  was 
ushered  into  the  presence  of  the  emperor  with  all  the 
pomp  and  circumstance  of  which  the  surroundings 
permitted.  The  ambassadors  duly  preferred  their  de 
mands,  and  were  met  with  a  refusal  couched  in  such 
dignified  and  uncompromising  terms  that  they  were 
smitten  with  amazement.  Claudius  displayed  a  sur 
prising  knowledge  of  the  disrupted  state  of  the  senate, 
coupled  with  a  clear  and  far-seeing  understanding  of 
the  advantages  of  his  own  position,  which  they  found 
it  difficult  to  confront. 

Their  consternation  and  astonishment  were  betrayed 


CLAUDIUS  CAESAR.  217 

clearly  enough  in  their  faces,  and  Claudius  perceiving 
it  bade  them  be  of  good  cheer.  "  Do  not  fear,  citi 
zens  of  Rome,"  he  said  majestically,  "any  repetition 
of  the  scenes  of  blood  and  tyranny  which  have  hith 
erto  oppressed  you  ;  this  rebellion  of  which  the  senate 
has  been  guilty  shall  be  freely  forgiven,  since  their 
reluctance  to  seeing  another  emperor  on  the  throne  of 
Rome  is  most  natural.  Under  Claudius  Caesar  the 
people  shall  taste  of  equitable  government,  and  this  I 
pledge  to  you  by  everything  which  I  hold  sacred.  I 
shall  be  ruler  but  in  name ;  the  authority  shall  be 
shared  with  the  senate  and  with  the  people."  The 
eyes  of  the  speaker  rested  for  an  instant  upon 
Agrippa,  while  a  slight  triumphant  smile  played  about 
his  lips. 

"  Thy  message  shall  be  given  to  the  senate,  O 
Claudius,"  said  Herod  with  well-simulated  dismay, 
and  the  embassy  withdrew  from  the  presence. 

Twenty-four  hours  later  Claudius  was  borne  in 
triumph  from  the  camp  to  the  imperial  palace  ;  the 
remnant  of  the  army  had  come  over  to  him  with  loud 
acclamation  and  rejoicing,  and  the  senate  left  without 
any  means  of  defense  had  sullenly  surrendered  to  the 
inevitable. 

"  In  place  of  a  madman  we  have  a  fool  for  em 
peror,"  said  Chaereas  with  bitterness. 

"  Look  you,"  cried  Sabinus  violently,  "  rather  than 
see  another  Caesar  master  of  Rome,  I  will  slay  myself 
in  his  presence." 

"  Happy  Asprenas   who  fell  at  the   hands  of  the 


218  PAUL. 

imperial  guard  at  the  very  moment  when  liberty 
seemed  ours,"  groaned  Lupus. 

In  the  meantime  Claudius  sat  upon  the  throne  of  the 
Caesars,  well  pleased  with  himself  and  all  the  world. 

"To  be  emperor  is  a  good  thing,"  he  remarked  to 
Codrus,  who  by  reason  of  his  manifold  accomplish 
ments  had  already  become  indispensable  to  the  royal 
pleasure,  "  but  I  am  weary  of  all  this  ceremonial. 
Come,  what  say  you  to  a  quiet  game  with  the  dice  ? 
Ay,  and  let  them  fetch  some  wine." 

"  With  all  the  pleasure  in  life,  royal  master.  But 
there  is  yet  one  thing  to  consider.  The  murderers  of 
Caius  Caesar  still  live." 

The  emperor's  ruddy  face  grew  pale.  "  They  can 
do  me  no  mischief;"  he  said  querulously.  "Why 
dost  thou  mention  the  matter  ?  I  wish  to  forget  it." 

"  They  do  not  forget,  gracious  majesty,  who  per 
formed  the  deed,"  said  Codrus  darkly,  "  as  long  as 
they  live  moreover,  the  ghost  of  thy  dead  kinsman 
will  cry  aloud  for  vengeance  !  as  long  as  they  live, 
red-handed  murder  holds  the  sword  over  thine  own 
head." 

Claudius  gave  vent  to  a  smothered  shriek  and  in 
voluntarily  looked  upward.  "What  shall  I  do?"  he 
cried  in  anguished  tones. 

"What  justice  demands,"  said  Codrus,  assuming 
the  stern  integrity  of  an  outraged  patriot.  "  What  the 
peace  and  safety  of  the  state  demand." 

Claudius  groaned.  "What  must  I  do?"  he  re 
peated  helplessly. 


CLAUDIUS  C.^SAR.  219 

"  Give  orders  to  the  guard  to  have  them  appre 
hended.  As  for  their  lands  and  moneys,  give  them 
to  those  who  are  in  deed  and  in  truth  thy  friends." 

"  Thou  shalt  have  them  !"  cried  Claudius,  mightily 
pleased  with  this  idea,  "  thou  shalt  have  them — thou 
and  Polybius  and  Narcissus  ;  only  manage  the  thing- 
for  me,  for  I  will  not  hear  of  blood,"  he  shuddered 
violently  at  the  word  and  relapsed  into  a  gloomy 
silence. 

"  Gracious  emperor,"  cried  Codrus  prostrating  him 
self  at  the  royal  feet,  "  I  am  unworthy  of  thy  con 
descension,  yet  have  I  a  request  to  prefer  in  view  of 
thy  generosity." 

"What  is  it?"  demanded  Claudius  rousing  himself. 

"  Grant  me  leave  to  change  the  name  which  I  bear, 
and  which  is  bound  up  in  my  mind  with  naught  but 
slavery  and  degradation.  Let  me  from  henceforth  be 
Felix,  the  happy,  since  thou  hast  conferred  upon  me 
all  the  joys  of  existence." 

"A  pretty  conceit,  by  the  immortals  !"  cried  Clau 
dius  in  high  good  humor  again.  "  Felix  thou  art  from 
this  moment.  Felix  Claudius — for  thou  shalt  also 
bear  my  name  in  token  of  the  kindness  which  I  feel 
for  thee.  And  now  for  our  game  of  dice,  good  Felix, 
that  we  may  forget  all  the  care  that  hath  irked  us  !" 

Thus  it  happened  that  Chaereas  and  Lupus,  and 
with  them  many  other  noble  Romans  who  were  con 
cerned  in  the  death  of  Caius,  were  shortly  condemned 
to  be  beheaded. 

"  I  pray  you  good   executioner,  grant  me  one  last 


220  PA  UL. 

request,"  said  Chaereas  when  he  was  led  forth.  "  Slay 
me  with  the  sword  with  which  I  slew  the  Caesar ;  for 
if  it  failed  to  free  my  country,  it  shall  at  least  deliver 
an  unhappy  mortal  from  the  thraldom  of  an  existence 
which  has  become  hateful."  And  so  he  fared  him 
forth  upon  the  eternal  voyage. 

"They  died  for  Rome  !"  murmured  the  multitude 
who  looked  on,  and  they  poured  oblations  into  the 
fire,  calling  on  the  spirits  of  the  departed  to  be  merci 
ful,  and  to  forgive  Rome  for  its  ingratitude.  As  for 
Cornelius  Sabinus,  whose  life  and  fortune  had  by  some 
oversight  been  spared,  he  kept  his  word,  for  coming 
suddenly  into  the  presence  of  the  emperor,  he  cried 
with  a  loud  voice,  '  that  he  could  live  no  longer  since 
his  companions  were  slain,'  and  with  the  words  upon 
his  lips,  he  fell  upon  his  sword  and  perished  at  the 
very  foot  of  the  throne  which  he  had  so  hated. 

Shortly  after  these  events  Claudius  Caesar  caused  a 
proclamation  to  be  made,  setting  forth  the  death  of 
Caius  and  his  own  accession  to  the  imperial  power, 
which  proclamation  being  dispatched  by  special  and 
swift  messengers  to  every  part  of  the  Roman  dominions 
reached  Jerusalem  full  eight  and  twenty  days  before 
the  letter  of  Caius  to  Petronius,  bidding  him  take  his 
own  life  ;  which  message  was  afterward  found  to  have 
been  delayed  by  storms  and  shipwreck. 

"Truly  the  God  of  the  Jews  is  a  great  god,"  de 
clared  Petronius,  when  he  understood  all  that  had 
happened.  "  There  is  no  other  god  like  him  among 
all  the  nations !" 


PART  II 

"THE  DAY  is  AT  HAND' 


(221) 


CHAPTER   XXI. 

AN    EPISTLE. 

"  T  UCIUS  of  Cyrene  and  Simeon  a  Jew  of  Antioch, 
JLV  to  the  believers  on  Jesus  the  Christ  which 
dwell  at  Jerusalem  :  Peace  be  unto  you,  even  the  peace 
of  the  master,  which  he  giveth  to  his  well-beloved  in 
all  plenteousness. 

"Be  it  known  unto  you,  brethren,  that  after  the 
death  of  that  holy  and  just  man,  Stephen,  when  it 
seemed  possible  unto  us  to  remain  no  longer  in  Jeru 
salem,  we  came  seeking  peace  and  safety  to  the  regions 
of  Syria  wherein  we  now  dwell ;  being  indeed  driven 
out  from  the  holy  city  at  the  edge  of  the  sword,  as 
also  ye  know,  because  we  believed  on  the  name  of 
him  who  was  crucified. 

"After  long  wandering  and  many  sufferings  we 
came  at  length  to  this  place,  cast  down  indeed  but  not 
forsaken,  for  the  Lord  was  with  us  according  to  his 
promise.  And  here  we  comforted  one  another  with 
the  remembrance  of  those  things  which  had  happened 
at  Jerusalem,  even  the  death  and  resurrection  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  we  have  the  hope, 
exceeding  glorious,  that  when  the  sufferings  of  this 
present  life  shall  be  overpast  we  shall  enjoy  another 
life  and  that  an  everlasting  one  in  his  presence,  who 

(  223) 


224  PAUL. 

also  hath  redeemed  us  from  sin.  And  seeing  about 
us  on  every  hand  men  created  in  the  image  of  God, 
even  as  ourselves,  who  yet  lived  as  the  beasts  live  and 
died  as  the  beasts  die,  our  hearts  burned  mightily 
within  us,  insomuch  that  we  also  spoke  to  them  of 
him  who  said,  '  Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labor  and 
are  heavy  laden  and  I  will  give  you  rest';  being  not 
unmindful,  brethren,  that  the  Lord  when  he  was 
about  to  be  received  up  into  heaven,  charged  us  that 
we  should  witness  to  his  grace  both  in  Jerusalem  and 
in  all  Judea,  and  in  Samaria  and  unto  the  uttermost 
parts  of  the  earth.  And  behold,  when  we  had  spoken 
in  the  name  of  Jesus  to  these  Gentiles,  great  numbers 
of  them  turned  to  the  Lord  with  rejoicing,  for  the 
hand  of  the  Lord  was  with  us. 

"And  now,  brethren,  we  beseech  of  you,  send  to 
us  speedily  those  who  shall  help  us,  for  the  work  is 
too  great  for  us  alone. 

"  The  grace  and  peace  of  our  Lord  be  with  you  all. 
Farewell." 

"  Thou  hast  heard  this  epistle,"  said  James,  laying 
the  parchment  aside  and  looking  about  him,  "what 
say  ye  to  the  things  which  are  here  written  ?  Is  the 
salvation  of  the  Lord  to  be  cast  even  as  pearls  before 
swine  into  the  midst  of  a  filthy  and  froward  people  ? 
Shall  we  who  are  clean  and  holy,  charged  of  God  to 
be  perfect  in  every  good  word  and  work,  company 
with  the  uncircumcised,  eaters  of  the  unclean  beast, 
idolaters,  liars,  adulterers,  murderers  ?  If  we  have 
been  persecuted  even  to  the  death  whilst  we  walked 


AN  EPISTLE.  225 

uprightly,  keeping  the  law  of  Moses,  what  think  you 
shall  befall  us  if  we  thus  break  down  the  partition-wall 
which  God  hath  set  up  of  old  betwixt  the  chosen  and 
the  accursed?" 

"  But  what  of  the  vision  which  the  Lord  vouchsafed 
to  me  in  Joppa?"  said  Peter  earnestly.  "What  and  if 
the  four  corners  of  the  great  sheet  which  was  let  down 
to  me  out  of  heaven  signified  the  four  corners  of  the 
earth  ;  and  the  four-footed  beasts,  the  wild  beasts,  the 
creeping  things  and  the  unclean  fowls  which  were 
within  signified  the  nations  of  the  earth  ?  Surely  if 
God  hath  pronounced  them  clean,  it  is  not  for  us  to 
call  them  unclean." 

"  I  pray  you,  brethren,"  said  one  Eleazer,  a  man 
who  had  formerly  been  a  rigid  Pharisee,  "  that  ye  con 
sider  this  matter  with  all  soberness  ;  for  I  see  clearly 
that  the  consequences  thereof  will  be  vast  and  far- 
reaching.  Our  Lord  and  Master  verily  bade  us  wit 
ness  to  the  truth  of  his  Messiahship  in  every  nation, 
but  in  what  nation  may  we  not  find  multitudes  of  the 
chosen  of  Israel,  exiled  as  it  were  from  the  fold,  yet 
hungering  and  thirsting  for  the  glad-tidings  which  we 
alone  can  give  them.  If  we  preach  the  gospel  to  the 
Jews  alone,  in  every  nation  and  place  where  they  are 
to  be  found,  is  not  the  task  a  great  one  ?  Will  it  not 
call  for  all  the  energy  and  patience  of  which  we  are 
capable  ?  Ye  are  not  ignorant  that  there  are  multi 
tudes  of  Jews  in  Antioch,  why  then  do  we  find  these 
brethren  speaking  to  the  Greeks,  who  if  they  live  in 
misery  and  perish  in  hopelessness  do  but  show  forth 

15 


226  PA  UL. 

the  wrath  of  Jehovah,  which  he  hath  declared  abideth 
thus  upon  the  children  of  disobedience — ay,  and  shall 
abide  unto  the  end.  If  now  we  admit  these  Gentile 
dogs  into  our  number  we  shall  all  alike  become 
unclean  ;  and  the  chosen  will  justly  hate  us  and  will 
refuse  to  listen  to  us." 

"What  say  ye  then,  brethren,"  cried  Peter,  "to  the 
fact  that  upon  Cornelius  and  upon  his  household  also, 
the  spirit  of  God  was  poured  out,  insomuch  that  they 
spake  with  tongues  and  magnified  God  ?  If  these 
Gentiles  receive  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit  from  on  high, 
then  are  they  no  longer  aliens  but  sons  of  God  and 
therefore  brethren  of  the  same  household  of  faith  as 
ourselves." 

"  What  I  have  said  remains  not  the  less  true,"  said 
Eleazer  doggedly.  "We  must  in  effect  choose  be 
tween  Israel  and  the  heathen  nations,  who  have  ever 
been  hated  of  Jehovah  since  the  days  of  our  fathers,  as 
the  prophets  also  bear  us  witness  ;  and  can  our  God 
change,  of  whom  it  is  written,  he  is  the  same  yester 
day,  to-day  and  forever?" 

"  '  The  Lord  is  merciful  and  gracious,'  "  said  Barna 
bas  softly,  "  '  slow  to  anger  and  plenteous  in  mercy ; 
he  will  not  always  chide,  neither  will  he  keep  his  anger 
forever.'  Moreover,  forget  not  that  Israel  hath  rejected 
their  Messiah  and  hath  refused  our  testimony  of  his 
resurrection  as  blasphemous  and  unholy.  Haply  the 
Father's  heart  hath  gone  out  after  the  prodigal  nations 
which  have  wasted  all  in  far  countries,  and  which  now 
approach  trembling  and  starving  that  they  may  beg 


AN  EPISTLE.  227 

the  bread  of  life  at  his  hand,  who  never  yet  offered  a 
stone  to  a  hungry  child.  Let  me  go,  I  pray  you,  that 
I  may  look  into  this  matter." 

"  So  they  sent  forth  Barnabas  to  Antioch  ;  and  when 
he  had  seen  the  grace  of  God,  he  was  glad  and  ex 
horted  them  all,  that  with  purpose  of  heart  they  should 
cleave  unto  the  Lord.  For  he  was  a  good  man,  and 
full  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  of  faith  ;  and  much  people 
was  added  unto  the  Lord.  Then  departed  Barnabas 
to  Tarsus  that  he  might  seek  Saul." 


228  PAUL. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

A  BOATMAN  OF  ANTIOCH. 

"  TN  the  reign  of  Antiochus,  king  of  Syria,"  began 
-I-  the  man  who  rowed  the  two  strangers  in  his 
boat,  "it  happened  one  day  that  an  enemy  came 
stealthily  across  the  borders  of  the  kingdom.  The 
enemy  came  by  way  of  the  sea  in  a  small  mean  ves 
sel  from  Egypt.  No  one  saw  him  when  he  landed, 
no  one  heard  him  when  he  fled  away  into  the  land  on 
the  wings  of  the  wind,  but  wherever  he  went  the  death 
angel  followed  and  gathered  great  sheaves  of  lives 
into  his  arms. 

"  King  Antiochus  heard  after  a  while  that  the  enemy 
was  come,  and  also  what  he  was  doing,  but  he  laughed 
aloud  in  the  midst  of  his  great  beard. 

"  '  What  care  I,'  he  said  contemptuously,  '  for  such 
an  enemy  as  this  ?  Let  him  glut  his  maw  with  the 
bodies  of  my  slaves  if  it  please  him ;  the  birth-angel 
holds  wide  the  gate  of  life  to  the  poor,  and  there  are 
already  too  many  of  them.'  But  the  enemy  smote 
the  king's  army  and  a  thousand  soldiers  died  in  one 
day.  Then  Antiochus  laughed  no  longer ;  he  con 
sulted  his  astrologers  instead,  and  poured  libations  to 
the  gods.  The  second  day  another  thousand  passed 
over  the  Styx  to  join  the  first  thousand,  and  this  hap- 


A  BOATMAN  OF  ANTIOCH,  229 

pened  also  on  the  third  day,  and  for  many  days.  Then 
was  there  a  cry  heard  in  the  city,  an  awful  wailing  cry 
which  floated  across  the  current  of  the  broad  Orontes 

i 

and  pierced  the  ears  of  the  selfish  king,  where  he  sat 
in  his  island  palace. 

"  '  The  plague  is  upon  us  !  the  plague  is  upon  us  !' 

"And  the  people  died  by  hundreds  and  by  thou 
sands,  not  on  one  day  but  on  many  days,  and  the  dead 
lay  unburied  in  the  streets. 

" '  I  will  give  from  the  gold  of  my  treasury  ten 
thousand  talents,'  groaned  Antiochus,  when  one  told 
him  with  bated  breath  that  the  pestilence  had  crossed 
the  river  and  had  slain  his  first-born  son  in  the  arms 
of  its  mother,  '  ten  thousand  talents  to  the  man  who 
will  appease  the  gods,  that  this  death  be  stayed  in  my 
land.'  And  he  caused  a  proclamation  to  be  made  of 
the  same. 

"On  the  third  day  after  that  this  decree  of  the  king 
was  published,  there  came  into  his  presence  an  old 
man,  exceeding  bent  and  wrinkled  ;  he  bowed  himself 
before  the  king  and  said,  '  O  king,  live  forever  !  thou 
art  sorrowful  and  afraid  because  of  this  enemy  which 
hath  come  upon  thee,  who  hath  glutted  his  maw  not 
with  the  bodies  of  thy  slaves  only  but  with  the  flesh 
of  the  rich  and  the  mighty,  not  sparing  flesh  of  thy 
flesh  and  bone  of  thy  bone,  O  king.  Now  do  thou 
give  the  ten  thousand  talents  to  ten  wise  and  honest 
men,  who  shall  thoroughly  cleanse  the  city,  and  purge 
it  from  all  death  and  uncleanness  of  whatsoever  sort 
be  in  it.  Let  them  cause  moreover  that  the  beds  of 


230  PA  UL. 

them  that  have  died,  and  their  clothing  and  whatsoever 
they  have  handled  be  gathered  into  heaps,  and  let  the 
heaps  be  burnt  with  fire,  and  the  ashes  that  remain 
shall  they  cast  into  the  river.  Let  them  give  also  to 
every  one  of  the  inhabitants  that  suffereth  hunger  a 
portion  of  food  of  the  best  that  is  in  the  royal  houses  ; 
let  this  be  done  during  thrice  seven  days,  so  shall  the 
plague  be  stayed.' 

"  And  when  he  had  spoken  these  words  the  old  man 
departed  and  was  seen  no  more  of  any  one,  save  in 
deed  of  a  woman  who  declared  that  she  had  seen  him 
go  away  in  a  boat.  '  He  went  that  way,'  she  said, 
pointing  down  the  river,  '  and  his  long  beard  blew  out 
far  behind  and  spread  and  widened  into  a  white  mist 
which  received  him  out  of  my  sight.' 

"  Antiochus  did  straightway  all  that  the  strange  old 
man  had  commanded  ;  and  it  happened  that  when  the 
city  was  thoroughly  purged  from  death  and  unclean- 
ness,  and  when  the  hungry  were  fed  day  by  day  with 
the  best  that  was  in  the  royal  houses,  that  the  plague 
was  stayed,  and  Antiochus  was  glad  at  heart. 

" '  Fetch  me  cunning  sculptors,'  he  commanded, 
'  and  let  them  go  up  into  the  mountain  which  over 
hangs  the  city  and  hew  out  from  the  crags  thereof  a 
likeness  of  this  aged  one,  who  by  his  counsels  hath 
saved  us  from  death  ;  for  I  believe  by  my  soul,  and  by 
the  soul  of  my  father,  that  it  was  no  mortal  that 
visited  us  in  our  affliction,  but  Charon  himself,  who 
conveys  the  souls  of  the  dead  in  his  boat  across  the 
chill  river  which  divides  the  land  of  the  living  from 


A  BOATMAN  OF  ANTIOCH.  231 

the  land  of  the  departed,  and  because  he  grew  weary 
of  the  multitudes  which  passed  from  hence  he  hath 
given  us  these  good  counsels.' 

"  So  they  wrought  the  crag  which  is  called  Silpius 
into  the  semblance  of  an  aged  man  wearing  a  crown, 
and  it  is  called  the  Charonium  unto- this  day." 

The  garrulous  boatman  paused  as  the  strangers 
lifted  their  eyes  to  the  crag  Silpius,  which  at  the  bend 
of  the  river  turned  toward  them  its  rugged  profile, 
scarred  by  the  storms  of  two  hundred  years. 

"The  king  did  according  to  his  will,"  said  one  of 
them  in  a  low  voice.  "  He  exalted  himself  against 
the  God  of  gods  ;  but  that  which  was  determined  was 
done  ;  he  came  to  his  end  and  there  was  none  to  help 
him."* 

"Thou  also  knowest  the  tale?"  said  the  boatman 
looking  somewhat  abashed.  "  It  is  true  that  it  is  an 
old  story,"  he  added  apologetically,  "  'tis  in  the  mouth 
of  every  inhabitant  of  the  city  yonder." 

The  keen  eyes  of  the  stranger  rested  quietly  upon 
the  face  of  the  man  as  he  answered,  "  No  son  of  Abra 
ham  is  ignorant  of  the  story  of  Antiochus  since  it  was 
writ  by  the  hand  of  the  prophet  Daniel  before  ever  it 
came  to  pass." 

"  Ye  are  Jews  !"  cried  the  boatmen,  allowing  his 
boat  to  drift  with  the  tide  as  he  looked  with  manifest 
astonishment  from  one  to  the  other  of  his  two  pas 
sengers.  "  Why  then  did  ye  offer  me  to  drink  from 

*  Daniel  xi.(  36-45. 


232  PA  UL. 

your  cup,  and  a  morsel  also  of  your  loaf  at  the  noon 
tide  ?  I  am  not  ignorant  of  the  ways  of  Jews,"  he 
continued  with  a  shrug,  "they  be  plenty  enough 
yonder,"  with  a  gesture  in  the  direction  of  the  distant 
city.  "And  by  that  great  Charon,  I  swear  that  any 
one  of  them  would  look  upon  a  man  of  another  na 
tion  dying  with  hunger  and  thirst — nor  offer  him  bite 
nor  sup !" 

"  Nay,  thou  doest  us  injustice,"  said  the  second 
stranger  gravely,  "  there  be  those  among  the  Jews  of 
Antioch  who  are  merciful  to  all  men.  Look  you, 
good  boatman,  I  also  have  heard  this  tale  of  the 
plague,  and  there  be  some  who  say,  that  he  who  ap 
peared  in  presence  of  the  king  was  no  other  than  an 
aged  Jew,  who  dwelt  in  solitude  not  far  from  Antioch 
that  he  might  give  himself  to  prayer  and  fasting  in 
behalf  of  his  afflicted  people.  And  when  he  heard  of 
the  pestilence  which  prevailed  in  the  city,  he  came 
within  the  walls  that  he  might  bring  what  succor  he 
was  able  to  them  which  suffered.  The  counsels  more 
over  which  he  gave  the  king  were  in  accord  with  the 
laws  of  the  Jews,  which  laws  also  were  given  them  of 
God  in  days  of  old.  As  for  Antiochus,  it  is  told  of 
him  further  that  knowing  these  things,  he  restored  to 
the  Jews  which  were  in  Antioch  the  brazen  spoils 
which  he  had  taken  from  their  temple  in  Jerusalem,* 
for  he  perceived  that  the  God  of  the  Jews  was  great 
and  mighty,  and  he  was  afraid  because  of  the  judg- 

*  Josgphus,  B.  ].,  vii.,  3,  \  3. 


A  BOATMAN  OF  ANTIOCH.  233 

ment  of  the  plague.  Yet  after  those  days  he  gave 
himself  again  to  idolatry  and  uncleanness  and  to  all 
manner  of  wickedness,  so  that  God  cut  him  off  sud 
denly  in  the  twelfth  year  of  his  reign,  even  as  had 
been  foretold  by  the  prophet." 

The  Greek  spat  upon  his  hands  and  once  more  gave 
himself  vigorously  to  his  oars.  "  What  thou  sayst 
may  be  true  enough,"  he  said  indifferently;  "but  for 
myself  I  am  what  the  Jewish  dogs  yonder — saving 
your  presence,  good  sirs — call  a  Gentile,  therefore  I 
worship  mine  own  gods  and  the  gods  of  my  fathers ; 
I  know  no  other." 

"Dost  thou  indeed  know  thine  own  god,  friend ?" 
said  the  stranger,  leaning  forward  and  looking  earnestly 
upon  the  face  of  the  boatman.  "  Tell  me  what  man 
ner  of  god  is  he  that  thou  dost  worship,  and  how 
dost  thou  worship  him  ;  what  doth  he  do  for  thee  in 
this  present  life,  and  what  will  he  do  for  thee  after  that 
thy  body  shall  have  perished  ?  Then  will  I  tell  thee 
of  the  living  God,  who  not  only  saves  men  from  out 
the  evil  of  this  present  world,  but  who  is  also  able  to 
raise  from  the  dead  them  which  believe  on  him." 

The  Greek  stared  into  the  face  of  his  questioner,  his 
bright  dark  eyes  full  of  amazement,  then  he  threw 
back  his  curly  head  and  laughed  aloud.  "  Thou  art 
not  only  a  Jew,  but  thou  art  a  mad  Jew,"  he  said, 
when  he  had  recovered  himself.  "  Come  with  me  to 
the  groves  of  Daphne*  when  we  have  landed,  and  I 

*  Daphne  (the  laurel)  was  the  celebrated  grove  and  sanctu 
ary  of  Apollo,  established  by  Seleucus  Nicator,  the  founder  of 


234  PA  UL. 

will  show  thee  what  manner  of  god  I  worship  and  how 
I  worship  him — it  suffices  the  young  and  the  merry. 
When  my  body  shall  have  perished,  why,  I  care  not  a 
denarius  what  becomes  of  me  ;  death  is  yet  a  long  way 
off."  He  burst  into  a  snatch  of  ribald  song,  looking 
sidewise  at  his  two  passengers,  who  had  fixed  their 
eyes  somewhat  sadly  upon  the  city  which  was  now 
near  at  hand. 

"  By  Apollo  !"  he  muttered  to  himself,  "  I  must 
sweeten  them  up  a  bit  before  they  leave  me,  else  will 
my  purse  smart  for  it.  Antioch  is  a  merry  place,  good 
sirs,"  he  said  aloud  in  a  conciliatory  tone  ;  "  not  Rome 
itself  nor  Alexandria  can  furnish  forth  a  better  holiday 
— and  I  have  seen  both.  If  ye  be  not  over-strict  Jews, 
honored  patrons — as  indeed  I  have  perceived  by  your 
condescension  to  a  humble  boatman,  ye  may  enjoy 
yonder  in  a  single  week  all  the  pleasures  of  the  world. 
Look  you,"  he  added,  warming  with  his  subject,  "  there 
be  races,  games,  dances,  processions,  festivals,  shows 
of  magic  and  sorcery,  all  manner  of  plays  and  enter 
tainments  ;  and  as  for  the  gods,  of  which  thou  hast 
spoken,  they  dwell  in  the  groves  of  Daphne  yonder,  a 
very  paradise  of  pleasures,  as  thou  shalt  shortly  see, 
for—" 

"  Hold  !"  interrupted  the  elder  of  the  two  men  with 
an  authoritative  gesture,  "thou  mayst  put  us  on  shore 
at  this  point ;  we  will  enter  the  city  on  foot.  If  thou 

Antioch.  It  contained  a  magnificent  temple  and  statue  of  the 
god,  and  was  famous  alike  for  its  extreme  beauty  and  the  name 
less  vices  which  flourished  unchecked  amid  its  cool  shadows. 


A  BOATMAN  OF  ANTIOCH.  235 

wouldst  know  our  business  in  Antioch,"  he  added 
with  a  shadowy  smile,  "  come  to  the  street  Singon  to 
night  and  thou  shalt  learn,  if  thou  inquire  diligently 
for  Saul  of  Tarsus  and  Barnabas  of  Jerusalem." 

"  Not  only  Jews  but  mad  Jews,  by  Apollo  !"  said 
the  boatman  to  himself,  gazing  after  the  retreating 
figures  of  the  two  men.  He  clinked  the  pieces  of 
money  which  he  held  in  his  hand.  "  They  be  sorcer 
ers — Ay,  that  is  it !  thou  art  a  shrewd  fellow,  Onesimus. 
I  will  go  to  the  street  Singon  that  I  may  see  ;  they 
will  tell  me  what  I  must  do  to  avoid  my  master."  He 
jumped  into  his  boat  and  floated  away  with  the  tide, 
singing  melodiously  a  very  wicked  song  which  was 
the  fashion  of  the  hour  in  the  wicked  city  of  Antioch. 

Onesimus  did  not  go  to  the  street  Singon  that  night ; 
the  two  strangers  and  all  that  they  had  said  to  him 
speedily  slipped  out  of  his  mind  before  the  in-coming 
tide  of  a  new  day.  As  for  sorcerers  and  fortune 
tellers,  there  was  no  lack  of  them  in  the  city,  they 
were  to  be  found  in  every  wine-shop,  and  upon  the 
corner  of  every  street ;  for  a  denarius  a  man  might 
know  what  would  befall  him  upon  the  morrow  ;  where 
to  invest  his  money  that  it  might  be  doubled  speedily, 
and  whether  his  lady  were  true  or  false.  There  were 
also  charms,  potions  and  magic  rings  of  marvelous 
efficacy  to  be  obtained  at  all  prices  and  for  all  pur 
poses,  so  that  a  man  might  provide  himself  against 
every  contingency  of  life  for  a  meagre  handful  of  cop 
per  farthings.  And  if  sorcerers,  fortune  tellers  and 
magicians  multiplied  in  Antioch  like  swarms  of 


236  PAUL. 

noisome  flies  under  the  summer  sun,  so  likewise  did 
the  dealers  in  darker  commodities,  with  their  retinues 
of  skilled  thieves,  practiced  cut-throats,  and  cunning 
poisoners,  which  these  worthies  confidently  recom 
mended  to  their  patrons  as  the  best  and  safest  solvers 
of  the  desperate  problems  which  were  daily  arising  in 
gay  Antioch  ;  and  with  these  a  vast  army  of  strolling 
musicians,  quacks,  panders,  dancing  girls  and  acrobats, 
who  plied  their  several  avocations  industriously  all  day 
long  for  the  benefit  of  the  throng  of  idle  pleasure- 
seekers  from  every  nation  under  heaven,  which  ebbed 
and  flowed  in  a  ceaseless  tide  of  corruption  through 
the  thoroughfares  of  the  city. 

The  Greek,  Onesimus,  knew  his  Antioch  well  by 
this  time  ;  he  had  lived  in  it  now  for  more  than  a  year ; 
where  he  had  dwelt  previous  to  this  time  and  what  his 
life  had  been,  concerned  no  one,  apparently  least  of 
all  Onesimus  himself.  Life  was  a  long  holiday  with 
him  now,  he  took  his  pleasure  easily,  with  no  incon 
venient  memories  to  dog  his  footsteps.  Money  for  his 
small  needs  was  easily  gotten  in  any  one  of  a  dozen 
ways,  for  he  was  a  handy  fellow,  and  could  sing  a 
song,  strum  a  lyre,  relate  a  legend  or  row  a  boat  with 
equal  facility.  He  envied  no  one,  not  even  the  nobles 
who  lived  in  the  beautiful  marble  villas  surrounded  by 
gardens  and  groves,  certainly  not  the  frowning  officials 
who  drove  their  gilded  chariots  down  the  great  central 
avenues  of  the  city,  and  whose  airs  of  pride  and  im 
portance  the  facile  Greek  could  imitate  to  the  life,  to  the 
vast  amusement  of  certain  of  his  boon  companions. 


A  BOATMAN  OF  ANTIOCH.  237 

Onesimus  was  confessedly  a  fine,  clever,  brave 
young  fellow,  free  with  his  tongue,  his  laugh  and  his 
money ;  as  he  strutted  along  the  streets,  his  red  boat 
man's  cap  very  much  on  one  side,  his  bold  black  eyes 
searching  the  windows  for  pretty  faces,  it  is  to  be 
doubted  if  a  merrier  heart  beat  in  Antioch. 

As  he  walked  thus  one  day,  whistling  cheerfully  to 
himself  and  clinking  some  bits  of  money  in  his  hand, 
with  which  he  had  the  intent  to  purchase  a  bowl  of 
pottage  for  his  dinner,  he  presently  became  aware  of 
two  young  Greeks  of  his  acquaintance  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  street. 

"Hi  there,  comrades!"  he  cried  loudly,  "what 
cheer?" 

The  two  immediately  crossed  over  to  him.  "  Come 
along  with  us,"  said  one  of  them,  who  was  called  Ste 
phanas,  "  there  is  something  going  on  in  the  street 
Singon  ;  we  are  going  to  see  it." 

"  In  the  street  Singon  !"  repeated  Onesimus,  scratch 
ing  his  curly  head  reflectively.  "  What  is  it,  sorcerers, 
jugglers,  dancing?  I  am  in  for  it  as  soon  as  I  have 
eaten  a  bit." 

"  Never  mind  the  eating,  munch  a  mouthful  of  bread 
as  we  go  ;  'tis  neither  sorcerers,  jugglers,  nor  dancing 
girls  this  time,  but  something  new." 

"What  then?" 

"  How  shall  we  know  till  we  see  for  ourselves ; 
there  be  Jews  there,  strange  fellows,  who  say  and  do 
wondrous  things  in  the  name  of  a  certain  Chrestos, 
their  master." 


238  PAUL. 

"  Magicians  after  all !"  said  Onesimus,  snapping  his 
fingers  triumphantly.  "  I  said  it." 

"Said  what?" 

"  I  myself  brought  certain  Jews  up  the  river  six 
months  ago,  who  were  magicians  ;  they  were  civil  fel 
lows  and  asked  me  to  look  for  them  in  the  street  Sin- 
gon  ;  but,  by  Apollo,  I  forgot  them  till  this  moment." 

They  had  reached  the  place  in  question  by  this  time, 
a  narrow  thoroughfare,  as  Onesimus  saw  at  a  glance, 
and  choked  with  people  from  end  to  end.  By  dint  of 
much  struggling  and  pushing  the  three  Greeks  suc 
ceeded  in  making  their  way  through  the  crowd  to  the 
spot  where,  elevated  somewhat  above  the  heads  of  the 
people,  a  man  was  standing.  He  was  speaking  in  a 
low-toned  but  powerful  voice,  and  the  stillness  was 
sufficient  evidence  that  he  was  saying  something  which 
the  people  were  eager  to  hear. 

"  For,  if  ye  believe  on  this  Jesus  whom  I  have 
preached  unto  you,"  were  the  words  which  Onesi 
mus  heard,  "  then  shall  ye  become  sons  of  God  and 
joint  heirs  with  us  of  his  glorious  promises,  and  he 
that  spared  not  his  own  Son  for  our  sakes  shall  also 
with  him  freely  give  us  all  things.  And  know  further, 
that  he  that  raised  up  this  Jesus  from  among  the  dead 
shall  quicken  our  mortal  bodies  in  like  manner ;  for 
to  this  end  Christ  both  died  and  rose  and  revived  that 
he  might  be  Lord  both  of  the  dead  and  the  living. 
But  I  would  not  have  you  ignorant,  brethren,  that  all 
wickedness  and  idolatry  and  filthiness  must  be  put 
away  from  among  you ;  for  neither  fornicators,  nor 


A  BOATMAN  OF  ANTIOCH.  239 

idolaters,  nor  thieves,  nor  covetous,  nor  drunkards, 
nor  revilers,  nor  extortioners  shall  inherit  the  king 
dom  of  God,  and  such  are  some  of  you  ;  but  ye  must 
be  thoroughly  cleansed  and  sanctified  from  all  sin  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the  spirit  of  our 
God." 

At  this  a  tumult  arose  among  certain  of  them  which 
stood  near  the  speaker.  "Away  with  this  Jewish 
knave!"  cried  one.  "He  speaks  with  the  tongue  of 
a  fool ;  we  be  men  and  not  gods  !" 

"A  sign  !  a  sign  !"  bawled  a  score  of  his  fellows 
blatantly.  "  Show  us  a  sign  !" 

"A  pest  on  this  show!"  muttered  Onesimus  im 
patiently.  "  There  is  nothing  to  be  seen  here  ;  these 
be  the  same  mad  Jews  I  brought  to  Antioch  in  my 
boat.  Let  us  go."  And  he  began  to  elbow  his  way 
once  more  through  the  crowd.  Suddenly  he  stopped 
short,  and  looked  hastily  over  his  shoulder,  his  ruddy 
face  assuming  the  color  of  death.  A  man  who  stood 
in  the  doorway  of  a  house  near  by  was  endeavoring  to 
calm  the  excited  multitude.  "  I  beseech  you,  good 
friends  !"  he  said  in  a  loud  authoritative  voice,  "  to  hold 
your  peace,  that  those  of  us  who  have  come  from  a 
distance  to  hear  these  words  may  hear  them  !" 

*"  Christian  !  Christian  !"  cried  a  derisive  voice 
from  the  multitude.  At  this  there  was  a  great  out 
burst  of  laughter,  and  the  cry  was  repeated  from  half 
a  hundred  throats,  "  Christian  !  Christian  !"  In  the 

*  Acts  xi.,  26. 


240  PAUL. 

midst  of  the  tumult  Onesimus  made  good  his  escape 
out  of  the  street  Singon. 

"  Merciful  Apollo  !"  he  muttered,  moistening  his 
white  lips,  "  What  if  he  saw  me  !"  He  stood  for  an 
instant  as  if  undecided,  gazing  about  him  with  the  fur 
tive  frightened  look  of  a  trapped  animal,  then  turning 
down  a  dark  and  narrow  street  he  sped  like  the  wind 
towards  the  river,  the  derisive  cries  of  "  Christian  ! 
Christian !"  pursuing  him  more  and  more  faintly  as 
he  ran. 


THE  KING  OF  THE  JEWS.  241 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

THE    KING    OF    THE   JEWS. 

HEROD  AGRIPPA  had  received  at  the  hands 
of  Claudius  the  greater  kingdom  which  the 
latter  had  promised  him,  a  promise  which  Agrippa  had 
not  been  slow  to  bring  to  the  attention  of  the  emperor, 
when  once  he  was  seated  securely  upon  his  ancestral 
throne. 

"  I  promised  thee  an  addition  to  thy  kingdom  ?" 
said  Claudius,  wrinkling  his  fat  forehead  into  the  mul 
titudinous  creases  which  with  him  indicated  great 
mental  effort.  "  By  my  faith,  man,  I  had  forgotten  it. 
Moreover,  I  need  thee  at  Rome  ;  who  so  clever  as 
Agrippa  amongst  all  my  counselors.  Stay  with  me, 
thou  shalt  have  money — palaces — anything  that  thou 
wilt." 

"There  be  many  wise  men  at  Rome,  imperial  maj 
esty,"  replied  Agrippa,  his  hand  upon  his  heart,  "yet 
are  there  none  wiser  than  the  learned  Claudius,  whom 
the  gods  have  but  justly  rewarded  for  his  virtues  by 
placing  him  at  the  head  of  human  affairs  ;  perchance 
I  may  serve  the  master  of  the  world  better  amongst 
the  turbulent  Jews,  over  whom  thou  wilt  do  well  to 
place  a  strong  hand  at  present." 

"By  Hercules,  thou  art  right!"  cried  Claudius, 
16 


242  PA  UL. 

vastly  pleased  with  this  delicate  imputation  of  supreme 
wisdom.  "  To  the  Jews  thou  shalt  go  ;  and  do  thou 
keep  a  tight  rein  over  the  knaves,  for  they  hate  the 
Roman  bit  and  bridle  even  as  the  wild  asses  of  the 
desert,"  and  the  emperor  nodded  his  big  head  know 
ingly.  "Thou  hast  already — ?" 

"The  tetrarchy  of  Trachonitis,  royal  master,"  said 
Agrippa  bowing. 

"Caius  was  a  selfish  dog,"  remarked  Claudius  with 
a  comfortable  air  of  superiority.  "  I  said  more  than 
once  that  his  end  would  be  a  bad  one.  By  the  im 
mortals,  he  treated  me — the  emperor  of  Rome — worse 
than  any  clown.  Ay,  that  he  did  ;  I  remember 
me — " 

"  Do  not,  I  beseech  thee,  allow  the  bitter  memories 
of  the  past  to  mingle  with  the  sweet  streams  of  to 
day's  prosperity,"  hastily  interposed  Agrippa,  who  fore 
saw  a  long  rambling  dissertation  on  the  vices  of  Caius, 
which  was  likely  to  lead  the  imperial  historian  far 
enough  from  the  matter  in  hand.  "  Caius  bestowed 
upon  me  the  tetrarchy  of  Trachonitis,  a  meagre  gift 
indeed,  though  perchance  commensurable  with  my 
humble  merits." 

"  Take  it  all,"  said  Claudius  briefly  but  decidedly, 
throwing  himself  back  in  his  chair.  "  I  decree  it." 

"  What !  Judaea,  Samaria,  Abilene  and  the  district 
of  Lebanon,  beside  what  I  already  have?"  exclaimed 
Agrippa,  scarce  daring  to  believe  his  ears.  "  That 
were  a  royal  gift  indeed  !" 

"  I  have  said  it,"  said  Claudius,  bringing  down  his 


THE  KING  OF  THE  JEWS.  243 

broad  palm  with  a  resounding  thwack.  "  The  em- 
peror  of  Rome  hath  decreed  it.  Let  them  fetch 
parchment  and  the  seals  straightway." 

And  so  it  came  to  pass  that  Herod  Agrippa  sat 
upon  the  throne  of  his  father's  father,  who  was  called 
Herod  the  Great,  though  truly  he  was  great  in  noth 
ing  but  wickedness  and  unhappiness.  No  such  bitter 
though  salutary  reflections  visited  Agrippa  as  he  en 
tered  with  great  pomp  into  the  holy  city  of  Jerusalem. 
His  ears  were  filled  with  the  acclamations  of  the 
people,  who  saw  in  this  return  of  the  Asmonean  dy 
nasty  a  restoration  of  at  least  a  fraction  of  their 
ancient  rights  and  privileges ;  in  his  mind  he  was 
already  revolving  ambitious  projects  to  throw  off  the 
Roman  yoke  altogether,  that  he  might  be  in  fact  what 
he  was  already  in  name,  King  of  the  Jews. 

After  the  gorgeous  and  imposing  ceremonial  which 
took  place  in  the  temple  in  accordance  with  the  ancient 
custom,  the  king  with  his  own  royal  hands  hung  up 
in  a  conspicuous  place  above  the  treasury  the  golden 
chain,  which  Caius  had  given  him  in  place  of  that  iron 
chain  which  he  had  worn  for  a  season.* 

"  Let  this  chain,"  he  said  piously,  "serve  to  remind 
the  people  that  however  great  a  mortal  may  be,  God 
hath  the  power  to  put  him  down  from  his  high  estate ; 
and  he  that  putteth  down  is  also  able  to  exalt,  high 
above  all  enemies  and  mischance,  him  that  doeth  vir 
tuously."  Which  indeed  was  a  wholesome  saying, 

*  Josephus,  Antiq.,  B.  xix.,  6. 


244  PAUL. 

and  one  that  the  king  would  have  done  well  to  re 
member. 

"  Great  and  exalted  be  the  God  of  Israel,  who  hath 
remembered  his  people  to  bless  them  in  the  restora 
tion  of  this  their  lawful  prince  !"  chanted  the  priests. 

And  all  the  people  answered  with  a  loud  voice, 
"  Amen,  and  Amen  !" 

As  for  Agrippa,  he  wept  aloud  so  deep  were  his 
emotions ;  and  when  the  high  priest  asked  him, 
"  Why  these  tears,  O  king,  on  this  the  day  of  thy  re 
joicing?" 

He  made  answer,  "  I  am  weeping,  reverend  and 
holy  priest  of  the  most  high  Jehovah,  because  there 
flow  in  my  veins  some  foul  drops  of  the  accursed 
Gentile  blood  ;  would  that  I  were  indeed  and  in  truth 
a  prince  of  the  chosen  people  of  Israel,  who  alone 
shall  receive  prosperity  and  peace  and  honor  at  the 
hand  of  their  God."  With  which  words,  together 
with  the  multitude  of  the  sacrifices  which  he  had  pur 
chased,  he  perhaps  thought  to  gain  favor  in  the  eyes 
of  that  Jehovah,  in  whom  he  believed  even  as  he  be 
lieved  in  the  Olympian  Jupiter. 

His  words  did  not  fail  of  their  intended  effect  upon 
the  newly-made  high  priest,  who  in  due  time  reported 
them  as  a  matter  of  solemn  rejoicing  to  the  Sanhe 
drim.  "The  time  of  our  prosperity  is  at  hand,"  he 
said,  "  for  the  king  also  declared  to  me  this  day  that 
he  hath  interceded  with  the  emperor  of  Rome  in  our 
behalf  and  in  behalf  of  the  Jews  of  every  nation,  to 
the  end  that  the  temple  of  the  living  God  be  no  more 


245 

defiled  with  idolatrous  images  of  any  emperor  or  king. 
Moreover  we  have  his  promise  that  hereafter  we  shall 
worship  Jehovah  after  the  custom  of  our  ancestors  in 
all  holiness  and  peace." 

"  If  these  things  be  so,"  said  Jonathan,  one  of  the 
sons  of  Annas,  "then  ought  we  to  cleanse  the  holy 
city  from  every  hateful  heresy  and  schism  which  doth 
defile  it,  that  Jerusalem  may  be  pure  and  fair  even  as 
a  bride  made  ready  for  her  husband.  Ye  cannot  be 
ignorant,  sons  of  Abraham,  that  the  sect  of  the  Naza- 
renes,  which  in  days  past  we  endeavored  to  put  down 
and  destroy  by  every  means  in  our  power,  hath  again 
in  the  troublous  times  which  have  beset  us  reared  its 
ugly  head  in  our  midst,  even  as  some  noisome  weed 
which  waxeth  fat  and  flourishing  and  bespreads  itself 
over  all  the  fair  garden  spaces,  if  ever  the  husbandman 
neglect  the  due  tilling  of  the  soil.  Now  must  we  pur 
sue  the  work  with  renewed  vigor,  since  Jehovah  hath 
regarded  our  distresses  to  alleviate  them." 

And  this  matter  they  brought  without  delay  to  the 
ear  of  Herod,  who  gave  them  willing  attention,  not 
withstanding  the  fact  that  he  was  on  the  eve  of  depart 
ing  for  Caesarea.  "  I  will  again  hear  you  of  this  mat 
ter,"  he  said  to  them  suavely;  "and  I  promise  you 
that  your  holy  zeal  in  the  matter  shall  lack  no  neces 
sary  support  from  my  royal  authority."  With  which 
vague  promise  the  Sanhedrists  were  forced  to  content 
themselves  for  the  time  being. 

"  I  have  long  enough  played  the  sanctimonious  Jew, 
my  lady  queen,"  said  Agrippa  in  the  privacy  of  his 


246  PAUL. 

palace.  "At  Caesarea  we  may  hope  for  a  little  peace 
from  these  importunate  long-bearded  whining  rabbis. 
By  Apollo  !  they  weary  me  almost  beyond  endur 
ance." 

But  Cypros  flushed  over  all  her  fair  face.  "  I  am 
resolved,"  she  said  in  her  clear  low-toned  voice,  "to 
serve  this  Jehovah,  who  alone  of  all  the  gods  is  true 
and  great.  And  I  pray  you,  my  lord,  to  observe  and 
do  according  to  all  that  these  holy  men,  who  serve 
him  continually,  advise  thee  ;  for  only  by  so  doing 
shalt  thou  continue  and  prosper  in  this  thy  high 
estate." 

Agrippa  burst  into  a  loud  laugh  by  way  of  answer. 
"Ah,  little  one,"  he  said,  dropping  a  careless  kiss  upon 
the  white  hand  of  his  queen,  "these  cunning  foxes 
have  gained  a  point  since  they  have  enlisted  the  fairest 
champion  in  all  the  land  upon  their  side  ;  yet  I  pray 
thee,  my  royal  consort,  that  thou  wax  not  too  holy  on 
a  sudden,  lest  thou  become  also  sour  and  forbidding 
like  to  these  withered  and  ancient  hypocrites  who 
would  teach  thee." 

Cypros  looked  troubled.  "  They  be  holy  men," 
she  said  firmly,  "  and  thou  wilt  do  well  to  heed  their 
counsels,  and  to  propitiate  their  God  by  acts  of  ser 
vice,  that  thou  mayst  reign  long  and  prosperously 
and  thy  son  after  thee." 

"What  have  they  been  saying  to  thee,  child?" 
asked  Agrippa,  a  half-mocking,  half-tender  expression 
in  his  dark  eyes,  as  he  fixed  them  upon  the  fair  flushed 
face  of  the  queen. 


THE  KING  OF  THE  JEWS.  247 

"  There  be  wicked  men  called  Nazarenes,  my  lord 
the  king,"  she  answered,  clasping  her  small  hands 
nervously,  "  who  also  blaspheme  the  great  God,  and 
continually  do  stir  up  strifes  in  Jerusalem  ;  these  wor 
ship  a  dead  man — a  malefactor  who  was  crucified. 
They  declare  that  he  is  alive,  and  that  he  will  usurp 
thy  throne." 

"  There  is  no  usurper  less  to  be  feared  than  a  cruci 
fied  criminal,"  answered  Agrippa  lightly.  "  May  all 
my  enemies  be  even  as  is  this  perished  Nazarene  ;  yet 
give  thyself  no  uneasiness  in  the  matter.  I  have  the 
intent  to  crush  out  these  knaves  from  my  realm,  if  for 
no  other  reason  than  to  please  Jerusalem  ;  'tis  a  cheap 
and  easy  way  into  the  good  graces  of  these  Sanhe- 
drists." 

But  though  he  had  dismissed  the  matter  thus  care 
lessly,  Agrippa  privily  called  his  chamberlain,  one 
Blastus,  and  sent  him  into. those  parts  of  Jerusalem 
where  the  Nazarenes  were  chiefly  gathered.  "  Go 
quietly,"  he  commanded  him,  "  and  in  such  garb  that 
thou  be  not  known  as  the  king's  servant,  and  find  out 
what  manner  of  men  these  Nazarenes  be,  what  weapons 
they  have,  how  strong  they  are  in  numbers  ;  and  pre 
sently  bring  me  word  of  what  thou  hast  seen." 

After  two  hours  Blastus  returned.  "  I  have  per 
formed  thy  behests,  O  king,"  he  said,  "and  I  have  ac 
complished  thy  commands." 

"  What  then  ?"  demanded  Agrippa  with  an  impatient 
frown.  "  Waste  no  words  in  the  telling." 

"  The  Nazarenes  be  a  feeble  folk,"  replied  Blastus, 


248  PAUL. 

"  few  in  number  and  unarmed  ;  they  differ  in  no  way 
from  the  common  people  of  their  sort,  save  that  they 
cherish  the  memory  of  a  slain  malefactor  and  worship 
him  as  a  god." 

"  Didst  thou  come  upon  any  traces  of  the  man  him 
self?"  asked  Agrippa.  "  They  tell  a  wild  story  of  his 
having  survived  his  crucifixion." 

"  Nay  rather,  that  he  arose  from  the  dead,"  an 
swered  Blastus  with  a  malicious  smile.  "  I  sought 
out  one  of  their  principal  men,  a  fellow  called  James, 
and  asked  him  many  questions  concerning  their  be 
liefs,  professing  myself  to  be  one  who  was  ready  to 
join  them." 

"Thou  art  a  shrewd  fellow,"  said  Agrippa  approv 
ingly.  "  And  he  said — " 

"  He  said  that  the  man  Jesus  was  the  prince  fore 
told  of  the  prophets ;  that  he  had  been  rejected  by 
Israel  and  crucified,  despite  the  fact  that  he  was  the 
only  holy  and  blameless  person  ever  created  ;  that  he 
actually  died  and  was  buried,  but  on  the  third  day  he 
became  alive  again,  and  was  seen  of  many  of  them 
during  a  month  or  more,  after  which  he  went  up  into 
the  air  and  disappeared." 

"A  likely  tale,  by  the  immortals!"  exclaimed 
Agrippa  with  a  scornful  laugh.  "  Do  the  knaves  pre 
tend  to  have  seen  him  since?"  he  added  sharply. 

"  I  asked  that  question,  sire,"  replied  Blastus,  who 
was  sufficiently  shrewd  to  perceive  that  some  real  un 
easiness  lurked  in  the  breast  of  his  royal  questioner. 
"  And  the  fellow  assured  me  that  they  had  not  since 


THE  KING  OF  THE  JEWS.  249 

seen  him  ;  but  he  claims  that  they  are  in  constant  com 
munication  with  the  man,  and  that  he  will  return  after 
awhile  in  great  power  and  glory  to  rule  over  the  whole 
earth." 

"  The  furies  fly  away  with  them  !"  cried  Agrippa  in 
a  rage,  "  such  babbling — mad  though  it  be — is  no  less 
than  treason ;  the  knaves  shall  smart  for  it.  I  will 
nail  a  score  of  them  to  Roman  crosses — they  may 
follow  their  master  thus  far ;  then  shall  we  see  if  they 
who  remain  forget  not  their  folly  right  speedily,  if  not, 
there  is  wood  enough  in  my  kingdom  to  furnish  them 
all." 

"  They  are  but  visionary  madmen,  your  majesty," 
said  Blastus  soothingly,  "with  neither  influence  nor 
power ;  while  in  Caesarea — if  I  may  make  bold  to 
suggest  it — there  be  matters  which  require  the  royal 
presence  and  oversight." 

"Thou  art  right,"  said  Agrippa.  "After  all  it 
would  be  a  wearisome  thing  to  attempt  this  matter 
now ;  let  it  wait  till  a  more  convenient  season." 

That  same  day  the  king  departed  to  Caesarea, 
where,  amid  the  royal  splendor  and  pagan  pleasures 
with  which  he  surrounded  himself,  he  speedily  forgot 
that  such  a  man  as  Jesus  of  Nazareth  had  ever  existed. 
His  visits  to  Jerusalem  became  few  and  far  between, 
and  while  there  he  chiefly  concerned  himself  with  the 
massive  fortifications  which  he  had  commenced,  and 
which  bade  fair  to  render  Jerusalem  impregnable  in  case 
of  an  attack.  Meanwhile  the  Sanhedrists  bided  their 
time  with  what  patience  they  could  muster,  though 


250  PAUL. 

occasional  murmurings  rose  among  them  as  vague  re 
ports  of  the  heathen  doings  in  the  royal  palace  at 
Caesarea  reached  their  ears. 

In  the  fourth  year  of  the  reign  of  Agrippa  it  was 
currently  reported  at  Jerusalem  that  the  king  not  only 
built  theatres  for  the  amusement  of  the  heathen  popu 
lation  of  Berytus  and  Caesarea,  but  that  he  himself 
frequented  them  in  company  with  unclean  Gentiles ; 
and  further  that  he  had  presided  in  person  over  a 
Caesarean  jubilee,  at  which  sacrifices  were  offered  to 
the  pagan  gods  in  honor  of  Claudius. 

"This  is  not  to  be  borne,  sons  of  Abraham,"  de 
clared  a  zealous  Pharisee  named  Simon,  arising  in  the 
midst  of  the  Sanhedrim.  "That  this  Herod  is  capable 
of  playing  the  law-observing  Israelite  at  Jerusalem, 
while  at  Caesarea  he  becomes  a  law-breaking  and  law- 
defying  Gentile  we  have  long  known,  and  in  times 
past  we  have  winked  at  these  abominations  ;  but  there 
be  bounds  to  our  forbearance,  set  not  by  ourselves  in 
deed  but  by  the  unchanging  laws  of  the  eternal  Jehovah, 
which  laws  this  king  hath  trodden  underfoot.  Let 
him  therefore  be  altogether  a  heathen,  and  let  him 
keep  his  foot  from  our  holy  temple  lest  he  defile  it." 

This  daring  speech  was  received  in  silence  by  the 
assembly,  since  no  other  man  present  dared  own  that 
the  truth  had  been  spoken.  Simon  presently  received 
a  summons  to  appear  before  the  king  at  Caesarea. 

"Sit  now  beside  me,"  commanded  Agrippa,  when 
he  had  brought  the  Jew  into  the  theatre,  "  and  do 
thou  look  carefully  upon  what  thou  shalt  see,  then  tell 


THE  KING  OF  THE  JEWS.  251 

me  if  there  is  aught  here  which  transgresses  the  law 
of  Moses  ;  for  I  have  heard  of  thee  that  thou  art  a 
very  zealous  man,  and  acquainted  with  what  pertains 
to  the  law  above  all  that  be  at  Jerusalem  ;  I  therefore 
purpose  to  avail  myself  of  thy  wisdom." 

Simon  trembled  exceedingly  as  he  witnessed  the 
entertainment,  which  consisted  of  a  battle  to  the  death 
between  soms  hundreds  of  condemned  criminals. 

"  Thou  seest,  friend,  how  that  law  and  pleasure  may 
be  justly  combined,"  said  Agrippa,  with  an  agreeable 
smile  at  the  trembling  and  pallid  Jew.  "  These  men, 
whom  you  observe  to  be  slaying  one  another,  are  all 
persons  who  have  deserved  death  for  various  crimes, 
some  being  murderers,  others  thieves  and  highway 
men,  while  others  still  are  traitors,  who  have  blas 
phemed  against  the  majesty  and  power  of  the  king. 
Now,  thinkest  thou  that  Moses  himself  would  object 
to  so  worthy  a  spectacle,  since  the  beholding  of  it 
serves  not  only  to  gratify  the  innocent  but  also  to  warn 
the  unruly?" 

And  Simon  replied  as  well  as  he  was  able  for  the 
chattering  of  his  teeth,  that  the  king  was  above  all 
men  wise,  and  that  he  saw  nothing  contrary  to  the  law 
in  what  he  had  witnessed.  Whereupon  Agrippa  dis 
missed  him  graciously  with  a  small  present.* 

"  To  behold  the  face  of  the  knave  was  a  greater 
spectacle  than  the  battle  of  the  criminals,"  declared 
Agrippa  with  a  scornful  laugh. 

*  Jos.  Antiq.  B.  xix.,  4. 


252  PAUL. 

But  his  wife  Cypros,  who  still  maintained  her 
ascendancy  over  him,  entreated  him  to  return  to  Jeru 
salem  and  to  be  at  peace  with  the  Sanhedrists.  "  Thou 
hast  prevailed  indeed  over  this  Simon,"  she  said 
anxiously,  "  but  beware  of  dealing  falsely  with  these 
holy  men,  since  I  know  right  well  that  they  be  of  an 
unyielding  temper." 

"  I  will  make  amends,"  declared  Agrippa.  He 
returned  forthwith  to  Jerusalem,  and  sent  for  the  chief 
men  of  the  Sanhedrim  that  he  might  consult  them  on 
a  matter  of  importance. 

The  next  day  Jerusalem  was  ringing  with  the  start 
ling  news  that  James,  one  of  the  chief  of  the  Naza- 
renes,  had  been  seized  and  beheaded  in  the  prison. 


A  STRONG  DELIVERER.  253 


CHAPTER   XXIV. 

A    STRONG    DELIVERER. 

PASSOVER  week  was  almost  ended  in  Jerusalem, 
yet  the  throngs  of  people  which  filled  the  holy 
city  showed  no  disposition  to  depart. 

"  I  shall  remain  in  Jerusalem  until  after  to-morrow," 
quoth  a  Jew  from  Cilicia  to  his  neighbor  from  Leba 
non,  "since  to-morrow  the  Nazarene,  Peter,  will  be 
crucified." 

"He  will  be  crucified?"  said  the  other,  raising  his 
brows. 

"  So  they  say,  so  they  say,  friend  ;  'twill  be  almost 
as  great  a  spectacle  as  the  crucifixion  of  the  Galilean 
himself.  I  witnessed  that,  thanks  be  to  Jehovah." 

"  This  will  assuredly  put  an  end  to  the  Nazarenes," 
continued  the  man  from  Cilicia,  stroking  his  beard 
complacently,  "  a  good  thing  too.  Not  that  I  know 
any  great  evil  of  them  beyond  this  teaching  of  the 
Gentiles,  but  that  is  evil  enough  ;  we  are  a  separate 
people — a  holy  people,  and  we  must  remain  so  or 
perish  miserably  off  the  face  of  the  earth.  Our  sepa- 
rateness  is  the  salvation  ordained  for  us  by  Jehovah." 

"  Exalted  and  blessed  be  his  name  !"  responded  the 
other,  closing  his  eyes  with  an  expression  of  holy 
rapture.  He  opened  them  again  after  a  proper  interval 


254  PAUL. 

and  fixed  them  with  a  steely  glitter  upon  his  neighbor. 
"  I  agreed  to  sell  fifty  bags  of  grain  to  one  of  these 
same  Nazarenes  yesterday ;  he  gave  me  no  surety  but 
bade  me  come  to  him  on  the  morrow." 

"  The  more  fool  thou,  son  of  Abraham,"  said  the 
other  with  a  comfortable  shrug  of  the  shoulders.  "  If 
thou  hast  the  grain  still  in  hand,  thank  God  for  it  and 
take  it  to  the  Gentile  woman,  Helena  ;*  she  will  give 
thee  double  its  value  without  question,  for  she  hath 
undertaken  to  relieve  the  famine  which  prevails  in  the 
city,  to  the  end  that  she  may  cover  her  sins  and  pur 
chase  favor  with  the  Almighty — which  thing,  thank 
God,  it  is  impossible  for  a  Gentile  to  do." 
"The  Lord  hath  spoken  it,  so  let  it  be  !" 
In  another  part  of  Jerusalem  the  same  words  were 
being  uttered  in  that  selfsame  hour,  yet  with  a  far  dif 
ferent  meaning.  In  the  house  of  Mary,  the  mother  of 
John,  there  was  gathered  on  this  last  night  of  the 
Passover  a  company  of  the  disciples,  and  with  them 
Saul  and  Barnabas,  bearers  of  good  cheer  to  the 
famine-stricken  brethren,  since  they  brought  to  them  a 
generous  gift  sent  by  the  newly-converted  Greeks  at 
Antioch  to  the  suffering  mother-church  at  Jerusalem. 
Yet  the  famine  which  had  lain  so  heavily  upon  them 
for  months  had  been  altogether  forgotten  in  the  terri 
ble  occurrences  of  the  past  days.  James,  the  brother 

*  Helena  was  the  queen  of  Adiabene,  a  province  of  Assyria, 
and  at  this  time  a  resident  of  Jerusalem.  She  had  become  a 
Jewish  proselyte,  and  being  possessed  of  great  wealth  took  ener 
getic  measures  to  alleviate  the  prevailing  famine. 


A  STRONG  DELIVERER.  255 

of  that  disciple  whom  Jesus  loved,  one  of  the  first  to 
be  called  by  the  Master,  one  of  the  first  to  follow,  a 
chosen  witness  of  the  heavenly  transfiguration,  and  of 
that  not-less-sacred  agony  in  Gethsemane,  James  had 
been  seized  and  put  to  death  so  suddenly  that  those 
who  remained  behind  could  scarce  realize  that  he  was 
gone.  And  now  Peter  was  lying  in  prison  waiting  for 
the  morrow  which  was  to  bring  him  a  shameful  and 
horrible  death,  unless  there  should  come  speedily  from 
the  unseen  regions  beyond  their  longing  vision  some 
real  and  tangible  help. 

During  all  the  days  of  that  sad  Passover  week — 
only  less  sad  than  one  other,  the  bitter-sweet  memoiy 
of  which  would  never  leave  them — a  cloud  of  passion 
ate  prayers  had  ascended  without  ceasing  to  their  risen 
Lord,  who  had  assured  them  that  not  a  hair  should 
fall  from  the  head  of  any  one  of  them  without  the 
Father's  notice. 

"It  is  not  that  he  hath  forsaken  us,"  said  the  be 
reaved  John  ;  "  for  he  told  us  plainly  of  these  days  at 
that  last  passover  supper  when  he  said,  '  Yea,  the  time 
shall  come  that  whosoever  killeth  you  will  think  that 
he  doeth  God  service.'  My  brother  is  gone  to  the 
Father's  house  ;  it  is  well  with  him.  And  if  that  other 
saying  of  our  Lord's  concerning  Peter  be  about  to  be 
fulfilled,  '  Verily  I  say  unto  thee,  when  thou  wast 
young,  thou  didst  gird  thyself  and  thou  didst  walk 
whither  thou  wouldst,  but  when  thou  shalt  be  old, 
thou  shalt  stretch  forth  thy  hands  and'  another  shall 
gird  thee  and  cany  thee  whither  thou  wouldst  -not,' 


256  PAUL. 

we  must  also  endure  this  affliction,  knowing  that  he 
doeth  all  things  well." 

Yet  in  all  patient  acceptance  of  these  words  they 
prayed  none  the  less  earnestly  to  God ;  for  had  not 
the  Lord  also  said,  "  If  ye  ask  anything  in  my  name 
it  shall  be  done  unto  you,"  and  also,  ''Where  two  or 
three  of  you  be  gathered  together  in  my  name  there  am 
I  in  the  midst,"  and  again,  "Where  two  of  you  be  agreed 
on  earth  as  touching  anything  that  you  shall  ask,  it 
shall  be  done  for  you  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven." 

While  they  thus  entreated  God  for  his  life,  Peter  lay 
in  the  prison  of  Herod  guarded  by  four  quaternions 
of  soldiers,  made  fast  moreover  with  chains  to  the  men 
who  lay  on  either  side  of  him.  For  the  Jews  had  told 
Herod  of  the  strange  escape  of  Peter  and  John  out  of 
the  prison  on  a  former  occasion,  and  how  it  was  whis 
pered  about  among  the  common  people  that  an  angel 
had  delivered  them. 

"  No  angel  intervened  to  save  the  neck  of  the  man 
James  from  the  headsman's  sword,"  said  Herod,  his  lips 
curling  with  a  scornful  smile,  "and  if  angel  or  devil 
deliver  this  knave  from  the  chains  which  bind  him,  his 
guards  shall  answer  with  their  lives.  I  have  said  it." 

Therefore  the  quaternions,  which  had  been  detailed 
for  this  purpose,  watched  with  the  diligence  born  of 
mortal  fear  the  man  who  had  been  entrusted  to  their 
keeping ;  for  the  governor  of  the  prison  had  not 
neglected  to  report  this  saying  of  Agrippa  to  his  un 
derlings. 

As  for  Peter,  he  sojourned  during  seven  days  in  the 


A  STRONG  DELIVERER.  257 

valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  and  like  many  who 
have  perforce  tarried  there,  he  found  it  a  wondrous 
place,  a  place  where  the  tranquil  stream  of  that  river 
of  life  which  proceeds  from  out  the  throne  of  God  and 
of  the  Lamb  flows  noiselessly,  mingling  its  pure  waters 
with  that  darker  flood  which  divides  the  narrow  valley 
from  the  limitless  reaches  of  the  celestial  country. 
And  so  it  happened  that  on  the  seventh  night  he  slept 
quite  peacefully  betwixt  his  guards,  knowing  full  well 
that  if  death  awaited  him  on  the  morrow,  there  also 
awaited  him  the  triumphant  song  of  the  redeemed,  the 
robes  made  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  be 
yond  all  and  above  all  the  rapturous  vision  of  that  face 
beloved,  the  face  of  his  Lord.  And  as  he  slept,  the 
thoughts  of  the  day  floated  and  mingled  in  cloudy  yet 
glorious  imaginings,  forms  of  divine  beauty,  strains  of 
unearthly  melody,  faint  rustling  of  angelic  pinions,  in 
effable  radiances  of  heaven-lit  spaces. 

On  a  sudden  the  vision  grew  clearer ;  an  angel 
stood  by  his  side  clad  in  the  dazzling  garb  of  the 
celestial  city.  And  his  voice  was  the  voice  of  com 
mand.  "Arise  up  quickly!" 

Peter  arose,  and  the  fetters  fell  from  off  his  limbs. 

"  Gird  thyself,  and  bind  on  thy  sandals,"  whispered 
the  radiant  presence.  Again  the  man  obeyed. 

"  Surely,"  he  thought  within  himself,  "  I  am  solaced 
beyond  measure  by  the  glory  of  this  vision  ;  'tis  a 
foretaste  of  that  beyond,  which  is  now  so  near." 

• '  Cast  thy  garment  about  thee,"  said  the  angel 
once  more,  turning  as  if  to  depart.  "  Follow  me." 

17 


258  PAUL. 

Peter  followed,  still  marveling  within  himself.  They 
were  in  the  street  now,  the  white  lustre  of  the  angelic 
presence  casting  a  clear  light  upon  the  dusty  pave 
ment  as  it  flitted  noiselessly  on  before.  Past  familiar 
streets  and  squares,  through  squalid  byways  and 
alleys  went  the  twain,  and  now  through  the  darkness 
loomed  up  the  massive  iron  gate  which  led  into  the 
inner  city ;  it  swung  open  noiselessly  as  the  mysteri 
ous  radiance  smote  it.  The  angel  passed  through  ;  the 
man  followed,  still  dazed  with  the  wonder  of  it  all. 

"I  sleep,"  he  said  half  aloud,  "surely  I  sleep. 
This  is  but  a  vision  of  the  night.  Yet  I  hear  the 
sound  of  my  footsteps  on  the  stones  of  the  street — 
and  yonder  a  cock  is  crowing.  My  Lord,  my  Lord  !" 
He  bowed  his  face  upon  his  hands  in  an  agony  of 
weeping. 

The  clarion  summons  rang  out  lustily  once,  twice, 
thrice  ;  it  was  echoed  faintly  from  afar,  then  the  silence 
settled  down  once  more.  The  man  raised  his  haggard 
face  wet  with  passionate  tears  and  looked  about  him  ; 
the  angelic  presence  had  vanished,  but  the  moon  strug 
gling  amid  a  mass  of  clouds  shed  a  pallid  light  upon 
the  place  where  he  was  standing. 

Yonder  was  the  house  of  John,  a  faint  light  twinkled 
feebly  behind  its  half-closed  shutters.  "  Why  do  they 
wake?"  he  questioned,  passing  his  hand  across  his 
eyes  in  vague  bewilderment.  "Someone  is  ill,  per 
chance.  Yet  I  sleep.  No — no,  this  is  no  dream ; 
the  Lord  hath  sent  his  angel  and  hath  delivered  me 
out  of  the  hand  of  Herod.  I  am  saved — saved." 


A  STRONG  DELIVERER.  259 

And  with  the  tide  of  returning  life  flowing  strongly 
in  his  veins,  he  knocked  imperatively  upon  the  outer 
portal  of  the  house. 

"  It  is  I,  open,  I  beseech  thee !"  he  said  softly,  as 
he  heard  the  sound  of  a  light  hesitating  footstep 
within. 

But  the  maid — for  it  was  a  young  maid  named 
Rhoda  who  had  come  to  hearken  at  the  door — ran 
back  in  haste  and  joy  to  those  who  were  within. 

"  Peter  is  without !"  she  cried  breathlessly,  her  pale 
cheeks  glowing  like  two  lamps  of  delight.  "  Peter  is 
knocking  at  the  door  !" 

But  the  others,  more  sadly  wonted  to  life,  shook 
their  heads.  "  Nay,  girl,"  they  said,  "thou  art  dazed 
with  much  wakefulness  and  sorrow ;  thou  hast 
imagined  it."  And  this  said  they,  though  for  seven 
days  they  had  besought  this  man's  deliverance  at  the 
hands  of  a  God  whom  they  professed  to  believe  all- 
powerful.  Truly  if  the  Father  gave  only  in  accord 
ance  with  our  faith,  we  should  gather  but  meagre 
handfuls  of  his  abundance  ;  but  he  remembereth  our 
frame. 

"  Nay,  I  tell  thee  it  is  Peter ;  I  heard  his  voice,  I 
know  his  voice  !  He  is  knocking — knocking  loudly, 
do  you  not  hear?" 

"  It  is  his  angel  then,"  said  Mary,  wiping  her  eyes, 
"they  have  slain  him  suddenly,  even  as  they  slew 
James." 

But  the  sound  of  the  loud  insistent  knocking  had 
brought  the  others  to  their  feet. 


260  PAUL. 

"  Someone  is  there  of  a  surety,"  said  John,  and  he 
opened  wide  the  door. 

"  It  is  I,  fear  not,"  said  the  familiar  and  well-loved 
voice.  "  I  am  safe ;  the  Lord  hath  brought  me  out 
of  the  prison  by  the  hand  of  his  angel.  But  I  must  not 
tarry  lest  I  be  seized  when  the  morning  dawns.  Tell 
James*  and  the  others.  Be  of  good  cheer ;  the  Lord 
is  with  us  alway,  even  unto  the  end." 

*  The  Lord's  brother  and  Bishop  of  Jerusalem. 


RETRIBUTION.  261 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

RETRIBUTION. 

"  \  DEPUTATION  from  the  Jewish  council  awaits 
/"V.  the  king,"  announced  the  groom  of  the  bed 
chamber  with  an  elaborate  obeisance. 

"  A  pest  on  the  Jewish  council  !"  muttered  Agrippa 
scowling.  "What  do  the  fellows  want  at  this  hour  in 
the  morning?" 

"  It  hath  to  do  with  the  Nazarene  Peter,"  replied 
Blastus,  who  played  the  part  of  a  judicious  go-between 
betwixt  his  royal  master  and  the  troublesome  world 
without  the  palace  walls. 

"  And  what  of  him  ?  The  knave  dies  to-day,  after 
ward  I  shall  return  to  Caesarea." 

"  They  say  that  he  hath  escaped  from  the  prison, 
excellent  majesty,"  said  Blastus,  wrinkling  his  fore 
head  deprecatingly,  "  but  if  it  be  so,  the  man  can 
easily  be — " 

"  Show  in  the  Jews  at  once,"  interrupted  Agrippa 
with  an  imperious  gesture. 

"  How  now,  my  lords,"  he  said  in  a  tone  of  mani 
fest  displeasure,  as  the  deputation  from  the  Sanhedrim 
was  ushered  into  his  presence.  "  Ye  have  perhaps 
seen  fit  to  interfere  with  my  provisions  for  the  safety 
of  the  prisoner,  and  by  so  doing  have  allowed  the  fel 
low  to  escape." 


262  PAUL. 

"  Not  so,  my  lord  the  king,"  replied  the  son  of 
Annas,  "  the  man  was  bound  betwixt  two  soldiers  and 
guarded  by  four  quaternions,  even  as  thou  didst  com 
mand  ;  but  this  morning  his  fetters  were  found  empty. 
If  perchance  the  king's  clemency  hath  been  implored, 
and  he  hath  taken  this  way  to  release  the  man,  it  is 
enough  to  say  the  word." 

"  Think  ye  then  that  I  dare  not  openly  release  the 
knave,  had  I  been  minded  so  to  do?"  demanded  Agrippa, 
the  veins  of  his  forehead  swelling  with  rage.  "  By 
Apollo,  man,  thou  hast  mistaken  me  ;  of  whom  should 
I  be  afraid?" 

The  Sanhedrists  looked  at  one  another  in  silence ; 
no  one  ventured  a  reply. 

"  I  undertook  the  matter  for  the  glory  of  Jehovah 
and  the  peace  of  Israel,"  continued  Agrippa  in  a  milder 
tone.  "  If  the  man  hath  escaped  the  just  reward  of 
his  iniquities,  it  only  remains  for  us  to  punish  his 
guards  for  their  negligence  ;  which  thing  shall  be  done 
straightway.  Let  the  dogs  be  fetched." 

"  Will  not  your  royal  highness  take  any  steps  to 
wards  the  apprehension  of  the  criminal?"  asked  Jona 
than,  with  an  air  of  displeasure,  "the  people  have 
awaited  this  day  with  holy  anxiety." 

"  The  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  are  noted  for  their 
holiness,"  said  Agrippa,  with  an  unpleasant  smile. 
"  We  will  give  them  sixteen  crosses  in  place  of  one ; 
will  not  that  appease  them  ?  As  for  the  cunning  Na- 
zarene,  ye  have  my  royal  permission  to  make  what 
search  for  him  ye  may  see  fit ;  for  ourselves  we  must 


RETRIBUTION.  263 

be  in  Caesarea  to-morrow  to  celebrate  the  safe  return 
of  the  emperor  from  his  expedition  into  Britain,  a 
matter  of  greater  moment  than  the  whereabouts  of  this 
fellow." 

"  The  guards,  your  majesty ;  will  your  highness 
examine  them  here,  or — " 

"  Here  and  now,  in  presence  of  these  honorable 
members  of  the  most  holy  Council  of  Jerusalem. 
Captain  of  the  guard,  speak.  How  is  it  that  the 
important  prisoner  committed  to  your  charge  hath 
escaped  ?" 

The  soldier  to  whom  he  addressed  these  words 
looked  up  ;  he  seemed  half  paralyzed  with  terror.  "  I — 
I  scarce  know  how  it  befell,  great  king,"  he  stam 
mered.  "  We  had  watched  with  all  diligence  during 
seven  days,  the  quaternions  relieving  one  another  in 
due  order.  The  prisoner  was  quiet  and  gave  no  trou 
ble  ;  he  prayed  much  to  his  God.  Last  night  he  slept 
early  ;  we — "  The  man  stopped  short. 

"Speak  on,  fellow." 

"  I  know  not  how  it  befell,"  repeated  the  unhappy 
wretch,  wiping  the  great  drops  from  his  forehead,  "  but 
a  singular  stupor  crept  over  us,  and  when  we  came  to 
ourselves  the — the  prisoner  was — gone." 

"  You  slept  at  your  posts  !"  said  Agrippa  in  a  ter 
rible  voice.  "What  then,  out  of  sixteen  men  was 
there  not  one  sober  enough  to  observe  the  king's 
command?" 

"We  had  drunken  nothing,  your  majesty,  save  our 
ordinary  allowance  of  sour  wine,"  replied  the  soldier 


264  PA  UL. 

with  the  firmness  born  of  despair.  "  I  speak  as  a  dying 
man  ;  I  have  not  forgotten  the  word  of  the  king.  By 
the  soul  of  my  father,  and  by  the  immortal  gods,  I 
swear  that  the  man  was  delivered  from  his  bonds  not 
by  any  agency  of  flesh  and  blood  but  by  some  inter 
vention  of  that  strange  God  to  whom  he  prayed,  and 
of  this  I  am  the  more  certain  since  his  fetters  showed 
no  sign  of  violence.  Moreover,  he  had  taken  time  to 
bind  on  his  sandals,  and  also  to  fetch  his  outer  gar 
ment,  which  hung  upon  a  peg  seven  paces  from  the 
spot  where  he  lay  bound." 

"To  what  god  did  the  fellow  pray?"  demanded 
Agrippa. 

"To  one  Jesus,"  answered  the  man  steadily.  "To 
us  who  stood  on  guard  about  him,  and  to  the  two 
soldiers  who  bore  his  chain  he  also  spoke  of  the  man 
continually  during  the  days  of  his  captivity." 

"  What  said  he  concerning  this  Jesus  ?" 

"  That  he  was  the  Prince  of  Peace,  the  son  of  the 
most  high  God,  who  so  loved  men  that  he  gave  to 
them  his  only  son.  He  also  declared  that  if  we  would 
believe  on  him  we  should  receive  everlasting  life  in 
place  of  death,  since  Jesus  also  was  made  alive  again 
after  being  crucified." 

Agrippa  threw  himself  back  in  his  chair,  a  malig 
nant  glitter  in  his  black  eyes.  "  I  begin  to  understand 
this  matter,  my  lords,"  he  said,  addressing  the  mem 
bers  of  the  Sanhedrim.  "  The  Nazarene  hath  con 
verted  these  dogs  to  his  own  interests ;  they  have 
therefore  released  him.  They  shall  bear  his  punish- 


RETRIBUTION.  265 

ment.  Take  them  away  and  crucify  them  ;  let  it  be 
done  before  the  going  down  of  to-day's  sun." 

The  captain  of  the  guard  threw  himself  at  the  feet 
of  the  king.  "A  boon,  my  lord  the  king  !"  he  cried, 
"  a  boon  !  as  thou  thyself  dost  hope  for  mercy  in  thy 
last  hour.  Grant  me,  I  pray  thee,  to  bear  the  punish 
ment  which  thou  wouldst  have  laid  upon  that  other, 
but  spare  thou  these  my  comrades  who  are  innocent 
of  any  misdeed." 

But  Agrippa  seemed  not  to  have  heard  ;  he  did  not 
even  glance  at  the  despairing  faces  of  the  doomed 
men.  "Take  them  away,"  he  repeated  coldly,  "and 
carry  out  my  will  upon  them." 

Which  thing  was  done  straightway. 

Before  the  going  down  of  the  sun  the  chariot  of 
the  king  passed  by  the  spot  where  stood  the  sixteen 
crosses  on  which  were  stretched  the  bodies  of  the 
hapless  guard. 

At  the  sound  of  the  clattering  hoofs  and  ringing 
harness-bells  which  marked  the  approach  of  the  royal 
equipage,  the  man  who  had  vainly  besought  the  lives 
of  his  comrades  raised  his  drooping  head. 

"  Death  presses  hard  after  thee,  O  king  !"  he  cried  in 
a  loud  and  terrible  voice.  "  In  thy  last  hour  thou  also 
shalt  beg  for  mercy,  but  it  shall  not  be  granted 
thee." 

The  royal  cortege  swept  by  without  pause,  the 
clouds  of  acrid  dust  cast  up  by  myriads  of  hurrying 
hoof-beats  wrapping  the  ghastly  figures  of  the  sufferers 
in  a  suffocating  shroud,  pierced  through  and  through 


263  PA  UL. 

by  agonized  shrieks  and  curses,  which  pursued  the 
retreating  chariot,  a  black  throng  of  avenging  demons. 

On  the  day  following,  that  high  and  mighty  person 
age,  Blastus,  chamberlain  to  his  powerful  majesty, 
Herod  Agrippa,  found  himself  entrusted  with  a  serious 
and  delicate  undertaking. 

The  maritime  cities  of  Tyre  and  Sidon  had  been 
unfortunate  enough  to  offend  the  king  in  some  ques 
tion  relating  to  the  tribute,  and  now  in  the  midst  of 
the  famine  they  found  themselves  confronted  with 
absolute  starvation  unless  friendly  relations  could  be 
re-established  betwixt  them  and  Judaea.  Deputies 
from  these  cities  had  therefore  been  sent  to  Caesarea 
that  they  might  take  advantage  of  the  festal  occasion 
to  present  their  plea. 

"We  have  come  to  thee,  most  excellent  Blastus," 
said  one  of  the  deputies  from  Sidon,  "to  the  end  that 
thou  mayst  gain  for  us  the  royal  ear,  since  it  is  well 
known  in  all  the  land  that  there  is  no  one  to  whom 
the  king  listens  more  attentively  than  to  the  wise  and 
prudent  Blastus."  To  which  politic  address,  agree 
ably  prefaced  by  a  large  present  of  money,  the  king's 
chamberlain  lent  a  willing  ear. 

"  You  have  not  over-rated  the  difficulties  of  your 
position,  my  lords,"  he  replied  with  a  solemn  wag  of 
the  head,  "  but  I  am  not  disinclined  to  befriend  you  ; 
not  indeed  because  of  your  gift  to  me — which  I  have 
accepted  as  a  matter  of  duty,  but  because  I  am  sensi 
ble  of  your  great  misfortune  in  having  fallen  under  the 
displeasure  of  one  who  is  only  less  great  and  powerful 


RETRIBUTION.  267 

than  Claudius  Caesar  himself,  whom  the  gods  have 
made  the  supreme  head  of  human  affairs.  You  may 
therefore  send  to  me  such  gifts  and  moneys  as  you 
have  prepared  for  this  occasion,  and  I  will  await  a  favor 
able  season  for  presenting  the  same  with  your  petitions, 
to  the  end  that  I  may  secure  you  favor  with  the  king." 

On  this  occasion  at  least  Blastus  made  good  his 
promise,  for  on  the  evening  of  the  first  day  of  the 
festival,  word  came  to  the  waiting  ambassadors  that 
Herod  would  receive  them  early  the  following  morn 
ing  in  the  theatre. 

Long  before  dawn  the  place  was  crowded,  men, 
women  and  children  of  every  rank,  soldiers,  courtiers, 
officials  and  slaves  jostled  one  another  in  their  eager 
ness  to  secure  good  places  for  the  day  of  pleasure 
which  awaited  them. 

"  There  will  be  a  wild  beast  show  to-day  besides 
the  gladiatorial  combats,"  said  a  woman  to  her  neigh 
bor,  as  she  settled  herself  comfortably  in  her  place. 
"A  score  of  African  lions  will  fight  fifty  condemned 
criminals  to  the  death,  a  goodly  show.  I  have  fetched 
little  Marcus  to  see  it,  though  he  is  sure  to  give  me  a 
deal  of  trouble  before  the  day  is  over ;  he  always  cries 
at  sight  of  blood." 

"Oh  shame — for  a  man  child,  too  !"  said  the  other 
woman,  frowning  at  the  little  boy,  who  cuddled  his 
curly  head  beneath  a  fold  of  his  mother's  robe  in  his 
embarrassment.  "  Look  now  at  my  Daphne,  only 
half  his  years,  yet  she  loves  to  see  the  gladiators  tear 
each  other.  Thou  wilt  never  make  a  brave  soldier, 


268  PA  UL. 

boy,  unless  thou  learn  to  look  boldly  upon  scenes  of 
blood." 

"That's  what  I  tell  him,"  said  the  mother  of  the 
boy  crossly. 

"  Hold  up  your  head  now,  do  !  See,  here  is  the 
king  coming  in." 

"  Diana  save  us  !"  cried  the  other,  "  look  at  his  robe 
where  the  sun  strikes  it ;  it  hath  the  look  of  a  garment 
woven  from  the  light  itself." 

But  now  the  royal  heralds  were  trumpeting  forth 
the  signal  for  silence ;  the  king  was  seated  upon  his 
throne  surrounded  by  all  the  splendors  of  his  court, 
himself  the  most  splendid  figure  of  them  all,  crowned 
with  gems  and  robed  in  a  marvelous  garment  of  tissued 
silver. 

Again  the  blare  of  golden-throated  trumpets,  and 
the  deputies  from  Tyre  and  Sidon,  preceded  by  a  de 
tachment  of  the  royal  guard,  advanced  and  bowed 
themselves  before  the  dais. 

Agrippa  stared  at  their  anxious  faces  with  haughty 
coldness,  as  one  after  another  they  poured  forth  their 
entreaties  for  his  clemency. 

"  Our  lives  and  the  lives  of  our  little  ones  are  in  thy 
hand,  O  mighty  king,  for  famine  and  death  press  hard 
upon  us.  To  thee  alone  we  look  for  succor  in  this  our 
extremity,  for  if  we  find  not  favor  in  thy  sight  we  shall 
perish  off  the  face  of  the  earth.  Do  thou,  we  beseech 
thee — whom  the  gods  have  raised  up  to  a  level  with 
themselves,  display  a  god-like  generosity  to  us  at  this 
time,  and  grant  us  that  peace  which  we  covet." 


RETRIBUTION.  269 

"  I  have  heard  your  entreaties,  meii  of  Tyre  and 
Sidon,"  answered  Agrippa,  "and  I  have  somewhat  to 
say  to  you  in  reply."  Whereupon  he  reviewed  at 
length  the  circumstances  which  had  led  to  their  present 
distresses,  bitterly  denouncing  their  past  stubbornness 
and  insubordination. 

"  Famine-stricken  and  helpless,"  he  continued,  "  ye 
have  appealed  to  me  as  one  whom  the  gods  have 
raised  high  above  common  mortals  :  and  now,  since 
ye  have  humbled  yourselves,  and  have  promised  to 
amend  your  conduct  for  the  future,  I  hereby  graciously 
accord  you  my  permission  to  reopen  commerce  betwixt 
my  kingdom  and  your  famine-plagued  cities,  but  do 
not  forget  that  like  the  father  of  the  gods,  I  grasp  the 
lightning-bolts  of  wrath,  which  shall  be  loosed  to  the 
utter  destruction  of  any  city,  principality  or  power 
which  in  future  ventures  to  defy  me."  The  king 
raised  his  right  arm  in  an  authoritative  gesture  as  he 
spoke  the  last  words  ;  a  wandering  sunbeam  smote  the 
shifting  folds  of  silver  tissue  to  a  dazzling  effulgence. 
For  an  instant  the  stately  figure  seemed  to  tower  to 
an  unearthly  stature,  robed  with  splendid  light  as  with 
a  garment. 

"A  god !  A  god !"  cried  a  voice  from  the  multi 
tude.  "A  god  and  not  a  man  hath  spoken  to  us  !" 

The  dazzled,  awe -struck  throng  lifted  up  its  myriad 
voice  in  one  mighty  cry.  "  A  god  !  A  god  !" 

Agrippa  made  no  effort  to  stay  the  tumult. 

"  I  know  no  god  greater  than  myself,"  he  said  within 
his  heart. 


270  PAUL. 

At  that  moment  the  death-angel  stood  beside  the 
king,  a  glorious  unseen  presence.  His  sword  was  in 
his  hand. 

"  There  is  no  god  greater  than  myself,"  said  Agrippa, 
and  he  laughed  aloud.  The  laugh  ended  in  a  shriek 
of  agony  ;  the  invisible  sword  had  descended,  piercing 
through  splendid  robe  and  gemmed  girdle  deep  to  the 
guilty  heart  beneath. 

"I  am  dying,"  moaned  the  king,  as  his  frightened 
courtiers  gathered  about  him.  He  lifted  his  anguished 
eyes  as  if  in  quest  of  some  help  outside  that  circle  of 
horrified  faces,  then  he  threw  up  his  hands  with  a 
gesture  of  despair. 

"Take  me  away!"  he  wailed,  "it  is  there — the 
bird  of  fate — the  bird  of  death." 

As  they  lifted  him,  a  small  brown  owl  which  had 
been  staring  solemnly  down  at  the  scene  flitted  noise 
lessly  away  with  a  short  sharp  cry. 

They  carried  the  king  to  his  palace,  where  he  lived 
for  full  five  days,  tortured  with  pangs  unutterable, 
crying  for  mercy  to  a  heaven  which  seemed  to  him  as 
brass,  and  to  a  God  whom  he  knew  at  last  to  be 
greater  than  himself.  Having  learned  this  lesson,  he 
was  released  from  his  body  of  death  and  fled  away 
into  that  great  silence  whither  we  may  not  follow  him. 


SENT  FORTH.  271 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

SENT    FORTH. 

IN  Antioch  life  was  flowing  in  the  old  channels. 
Men  still  trafficked  and  fought,  loved  and  hated, 
cursed  and  prayed.  The  strong  yet  trampled  the 
weak  under  foot  and  stifled  their  wails  of  anguish  in 
shallow  paupers'  graves.  A  never-ceasing  babble  of 
awful  sounds,  an  ever-shifting  phantasmagoria  of 
frightful  suffering  and  not  less  frightful  gayety,  into 
which  as  into  a  resistless  whirlpool  flowed  a  perpetual 
tide  of  white  speechless  souls  from  out  the  hither  dark 
ness,  and  out  of  which  drifted  a  dark  cloud  of  the 
lost — lost  because  unwittingly  they  had  lived ;  such 
was  Antioch. 

To  this  Antioch  returned  the  two  men,  who  believed 
that  God  so  loved  the  world  that  he  gave  his  only  be 
gotten  son  for  its  salvation  ;  who  believed  that  a  cer 
tain  Jesus  of  Nazareth — a  Jew  like  themselves,  poor, 
obscure,  despised,  even  by  his  own  nation,  and  hounded 
at  last  to  a  shameful  death — was  the  incarnate  deity, 
drawn  by  pure  love  and  pity  down  from  the  unimagin 
able  reaches  of  an  unseen  heaven  ;  who  believed  that 
in  this  God-man  lay  the  eternal  remedy  for  eternal 
woe,  comfort  for  sorrow  and  bitter  crying,  healing  for 
sickness  and  wounds,  life  more  abundant  for  hopeless 


272  PA  UL. 

death,  a  mighty,  everlasting,  unsearchable,  unknow 
able  love,  strong  enough  to  lift  the  wretched  wailing 
world  in  its  arms  as  would  a  mother.  Like  Moses 
they  had  looked  upon  this  love,  and  their  faces  shone. 

In  Antioch  they  gathered  about  them  those  who 
had  also  seen.  "It  is  for  you  to  spread  the  glad- 
tidings  in  this  place,"  they  said,  "but  we  must  go 
forth  whither  the  spirit  leads  us."  Yet  they  tarried 
awhile  to  fast  and  to  pray,  lest  haply  they  might  have 
mistaken  the  yearning  of  their  own  hearts  for  the 
word  from  on  high. 

"  Separate  me  Barnabas  and  Saul  for  the  work 
whereunto  I  have  called  them,"  came  the  command. 

So  when  the  brethren  had  fasted  and  prayed  they 
laid  their  hands  upon  them,  in  token  that  thus  were 
they  set  apart  for  the  work,  as  yet  only  dimly  com 
prehended  by  any  of  them. 

Three  men — for  they  took  with  them  the  young 
John  Mark — against  a  world  !  Three  men,  in  the  eyes 
of  that  world  a  band  too  feeble,  too  utterly  insignificant 
to  merit  even  a  laugh  of  scorn,  yet  sent  forth  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  girt  about  with  power  irresistible,  attended 
by  legions  of  angels,  led  by  the  cloudy  fiery  pillar  no 
less  truly  than  the  Israelites  of  old.  Three  men,  and 
with  them  walked  yet  another,  "  and  the  form  of  the 
fourth  was  like  the  Son  of  God." 

At  Seleucia,  sixteen  miles  from  Antioch,  the  little 
company  took  ship  for  the  island  of  Cyprus,  and  there 
in  the  city  of  Salamis  tarried  for  a  time  that  they  might 
preach  the  word  of  God  in  the  synagogues  of  the  Jews. 


SENT  FORTH.  273 

Sergius  Paulus,  the  Roman  governor  of  Cyprus, 
was  universally  acknowledged  to  be  a  prudent  man  ; 
a  brave  man  he  unquestionably  was,  and  by  virtue  of 
this  quality  he  held  sway  over  beautiful  Cyprus,  living 
like  a  petty  king  in  his  palace  at  Paphos,  surrounded 
by  lesser  officials,  courtiers  and  sycophants  who  vied 
with  one  another  in  fawning  upon  the  great  men  of 
the  country. 

To  this  Paphian  court  there  came  one  day  a  wretched 
half-starved  Jew.  "  I  am  a  wise-man,  noble  Roman," 
he  whined  coaxingly  to  the  guard  who  interrogated 
him  concerning  his  business  in  the  neighborhood  of 
the  proconsular  residence.  "  I  can  look  far  into  the 
future  and  tell  what  will  befall  a  man  :  for  thyself, 
honorable  sir,  I  see — ah,  what  enviable  fortunes  !" 

The  soldier  nothing  loath  fetched  him  into  camp, 
where  all  day  long  he  plied  his  craft  with  sufficient 
industry  to  earn  a  share  of  the  rude  supper,  of  which 
indeed  he  seemed  in  sore  need. 

"By  Bacchus!"  exclaimed  one  of  the  centurions 
shrugging  his  shoulders.  "  The  Jewish  dog  hath 
either  a  nimble  wit  or  a  compact  with  the  powers  of 
the  nether  world.  He  told  me  what  I  supposed  no 
one  save  myself  had  ever  thought  of — the  truth  too." 

"  The  furies  love  their  own,"  replied  his  comrade 
sententiously,  "but  what  might  one  expect  from  a 
Jew,  whose  nation  also  is  said  to  venerate  the  ass  and 
worship  the  pig?  Dost  thou  deny  it,  fellow?"  he 
added  with  a  brutal  laugh,  seeing  that  the  Jew  had  ap 
proached  them  and  was  listening. 

18 


274  PA  UL. 

A  look  of  malignant  hatred  blazed  for  an  instant  in 
the  black  eyes  of  the  soothsayer  as  he  turned  them 
upon  his  questioner,  but  his  voice  was  smooth  and 
persuasive  as  ever  as  he  answered,  "  The  noble  lord  is 
mistaken  ;  we  do  not  worship  the — the — other  thing,"* 
an  involuntary  shudder  ran  over  his  thin  figure,  "  nor 
do  we  venerate  the  ass.  We  worship — but  why  do  I 
speak  thus,  it  is  no  matter :  the  noble  lord  perhaps 
wishes  to  know — "  here  he  stepped  quite  close  and 
whispered  something  into  the  ear  of  the  Roman. 

"By  the  immortals!"  cried  the  soldier,  his  face 
flushing  hotly,  "  Who  told  thee  that?" 

"  The  ass  whom  I  am  supposed  to  venerate  hath 
perchance  communicated  it  to  thee  his  brother,"  an 
swered  the  Jew  with  a  wicked  laugh,  "  and  I  can  tell 
thee  more." 

"  No,  by  Hades,  I  will  hear  no  more  !  Thou  art  a 
lying  slave  ;  I  will  have  thee  scourged." 

"  Nay,  not  so,  noble  sir,  lest  the  furies  scourge 
thee,"  and  the  Jew  turned  his  back  upon  the  twain. 

"The  knave  hath  the  better  of  thee  there,"  cried 
the  centurion  with  a  huge  laugh.  "Who  knows  what 
he  is  ?"  he  added  with  a  superstitious  shiver,  "  and 
whether  he  be  not  lately  'scaped  from  the  realms  of 
death  and  night." 

The  other  swore  softly  to  himself  as  he  looked  after 


*  No  Jew  would  so  much  as  name  the  despised  and  for 
bidden  swine,  but  referred  to  it  when  compelled  to  do  so  as 
"  the  other  thing" 


SENT  FORTH.  275 

the  retreating  figure  of  the  soothsayer,  but  he  made 
no  effort  to  carry  out  his  threat. 

The  fame  of  this  strange  being  spread  apace,  and  it 
was  not  many  days  before  he  was  ordered  to  appear 
in  the  presence  of  the  governor  himself. 

"What  is  thy  name,  sirrah?"  questioned  Sergius 
Paulus,  staring  hard  into  the  yellow  wizened  face  of 
the  soothsayer.  . 

"  My  name  is  Bar-jesus,  may  it  please  your  excel 
lency,"  replied  the  Jew,  apparently  unmoved  by  the 
magnificence  of  the  official  presence. 

"  Bar-jesus — Bar-jesus  !"  repeated  the  Roman  look 
ing  perplexed.  "  Where  have  I  heard  that  name  of 
late  ?  Surely  there  was  something  strange  told  me 
concerning  it.  Ah  yes,  there  was  a  certain  prophet, 
a  wonder-worker  bearing  the  name  of  Jesus ;  art 
thou  he?" 

"  I  am  a  prophet,  verily,"  replied  the  Jew  with  an 
inscrutable  smile.  "And  I  am  more.  All  things 
which  have  happened  are  known  to  me  ;  likewise  of 
all  that  shall  come  to  pass  is  there  nothing  hid  from 
my  eyes.  The  stars  in  their  courses,  the  flight  of  the 
mountain  eagle,  the  foot  of  the  wild  beast  in  the  track 
less  desert  are  not  more  strange  than  are  the  wander 
ings  of  the  soul  unfettered  from  the  body  by  sleep, 
yet  all  of  these  things  are  plain  and  open  unto  me : 
for  this  reason  I  am  called  also  Elymas,  which  is  being 
interpreted,  The  Wise." 

"I  have  heard  the  like  before,"  said  the  governor, 
leaning  back  in  his  chair  with  a  cynical  smile.  "  Rome 


276  PAUL. 

swarms  with  thy  sort.  If  it  be  lies,  or  if  it  be  truth 
that  ye  tell,  what  after  all  matters  it ;  there  is  naught 
that  can  befall  a  man  which  hath  not  already  been  ex 
perienced  by  myriads  of  his  fellows,  and  the  end  is 
the  same — death.  Yet  it  may  amuse  our  over-abun 
dant  leisure  to  hear  thee  in  thy  craft  at  times  ;  remain 
therefore,  and  be  ready  when  I  shall  call  for  thee." 

Thus  it  happened  that  the  Jew,  Bar-jesus,  otherwise 
known  as  Elymas,  was  installed  a  member  of  the  pro 
consular  household  at  Paphos.  Being  in  his  way 
quite  as  prudent  a  man  as  Sergius  Paul  us,  he  was  not 
slow  to  avail  himself  of  the  advantages  of  his  posi 
tion.  Having  presently  acquired  an  almost  unlimited 
power  over  the  slaves  and  lesser  officials,  he  was  de 
nied  nothing  in  the  way  of  the  choicest  meats,  drinks 
and  dainties  which  the  palace  afforded  ;  in  addition  to 
this  a  steady  stream  of  gold,  silver  and  copper  coins — 
for  your  truly  wise  man  despises  not  the  small  things 
of  the  earth — speedily  found  its  way  into  his  greedy 
palm.  He  grew  sleek  and  flourishing  apace  ;  the  soft 
stealthy  rustle  of  his  silken  robe,  'broidered  all  over 
with  strange  hieroglyphs,  came  at  length  to  sound  in 
the  ears  of  the  cringing  menials  like  the  dread  pinions 
of  the  great  reaper  himself.  Sergius  Paulus,  it  was 
true,  still  laughed  at  his  pretensions,  but  it  was  noticed 
that  he  was  more  and  more  often  closeted  with  the 
Jew,  and  no  secret  was  made  of  the  fact  that  on  more 
than  one  occasion  he  had  conducted  matters  of  im 
portance  according  to  his  advice. 

"There  be  new  arrivals  in  town — also  wise   men," 


SENT  FORTH.  277 

said  the  groom  of  the  bed-chamber  one  day  to  the 
slave  who  had  fetched  the  scented  water  for  his  lord 
ship's  hands. 

"  Of  what  nation  ?" 

"Jews,  I  am  told,  but  not  like — "  The  speaker 
paused  and  looked  apprehensively  over  his  shoulder. 
"  One  never  knows,"  he  added  in  a  half  whisper, 
"when  our  wizard  is  about,  he  is — " 

"An  evil  spirit,"  put  in  the  other  boldly,  "there  is 
no  doubt  of  it,  and  I  will  say  it  though  I  be  burned  a 
thousand  years,  as  he  is  wont  to  threaten  us." 

"That  thou  shalt  be,  knave,"  said  a  sneering  voice 
from  behind,  "  but  to  discipline  thy  unruly  tongue 
until  the  burning  begin,  I  grant  thee  a  present  whole 
some  torment."  The  sorcerer  laid  a  long  skinny  fore 
finger  upon  the  forehead  of  the  cringing  slave  ;  the 
man  started  back  with  a  shriek. 

"  Mercy,  good  wizard  !"  he  howled,  sinking  upon 
his  knees  before  his  tormentor,  "  have  mercy  upon  me, 
I  meant  no  harm  ;  'twas  but  a  jest — I  swear  it !" 

"Out  of  my  way,  dog !"  said  the  Jew  with  a  terri 
ble  imprecation,  and  he  passed  on  into  the  presence 
of  his  patron,  leaving  the  slave  groveling  upon  the 
floor. 

The  governor,  Sergius  Paulus,  was  in  a  state  of 
pleasurable  anticipation.  "  I  have  sent  for  thy  coun 
try-men  who  are  in  our  city,  good  Elymas,"  said  the 
great  man  with  unwonted  geniality.  "  They  are  saying 
wondrous  things,  I  am  told,  concerning  their  God ;  I 
am  minded  to  hear  them." 


278  PA  UL. 

"  In  an  evil  day  hast  thou  sent  for  these  men !" 
cried  Elymas  throwing  up  his  hands  with  a  tragic 
gesture.  "  As  destroyers  of  thy  peace  they  come  ;  a 
sharp  sword  is  betwixt  their  lips,  and  the  poison  of 
asps  under  their  tongues!  As  thou  lovest  ease  of 
body  and  health  of  bone  admit  not  these  knaves  to 
thy  presence  !" 

"  I  shall  hear  them  of  the  matters  whereof  they 
speak,"  said  the  governor  coldly,  "even  as  I  heard 
thee,  when  thou  wast  a  starveling  magic-monger 
among  the  soldiers  of  my  camp.' 

Elymas  shrank  back  at  this  allusion  to  his  former 
poverty,  biting  his  nails  and  muttering  darkly  to  him 
self.  He  did  not  speak  again,  and  the  strangers  were 
presently  shown  into  the  presence. 

Sergius  Paulus  stared  at  them  curiously.  "Jews, 
certainly,"  he  said  within  himself.  "  In  want  of 
money,"  he  added  cynically — "empty  leeches  as  are 
they  all :"  he  determined  not  to  allow  the  new-comers 
to  fasten  themselves  upon  him. 

"Your  name  and  business  in  Cyprus,"  he  said  at 
length,  addressing  the  elder  of  the  two  men. 

"  My  name  is  Joses,"  replied  the  stranger,  with  a 
respectful  inclination  of  the  head.  "  I  am  also  called 
Barnabas.  I  am  a  Jew,  born  on  this  island,  but  for 
many  years  resident  in  Jerusalem.  I  have  returned  to 
my  native  Cyprus  in  company  with  my  comrade  Saul, 
a  Jew  also  and  native  of  Cilicia,  that  together  we  may 
make  known  the  glad-tidings  concerning  one  Jesus  of 
Nazareth." 


SENT  FORTH.  279 

"  Saulos  !"  repeated  the  governor  with  a  sneering 
laugh,  "Saulos  !*  truly  the  name  of  thy  comrade  hath 
an  evil  sound,  yet  for  a  sorcerer — if  such  ye  be — " 

"We  are  not  sorcerers,  most  noble  Sergius,"  said 
Saul,  with  the  authoritative  tone  and  gesture  which 
compelled  attention,  and  which  was  habitual  with  him. 
"As  for  my  name,  Saul,  it  is  not  dear  unto  me  ;  I  bear 
also  another  name  by  which  henceforth  I  am  minded 
to  be  called,  since  its  signification  suits  me,  who  am 
least  of  them  which  believe  ;  that  name  is  Paulus."f 

"  By  what  right  dost  thou  assume  a  Roman  name, 
fellow?"  said  the  proconsul  haughtily. 

"  By  right  of  birth,"  answered  Saul  steadily.  "  I 
am  a  Jew,  but  I  am  also  a  Roman  citizen." 

The  face  of  the  governor  changed  perceptibly.  "  I 
will  hear  thee  of  thy  matters  which  thou  hast  been 
expounding  to  the  Cyprians,"  he  said  graciously,  "if 
thou  art  a  Roman  thou  dost  not  herd  with  such  as  the 
fellow  yonder." 

Elymas  started  forward,  his  evil  face  white  and 
threatening.  "The  knave  hath  lied!"  he  shrieked. 
"  Can  I  not  read  his  heart?" 

"  Silence  !"  thundered  the  governor,  "  or  I  have  thee 
removed  by  the  guard.  Tell  me,  good  Paulus,  of  this 
Jesus  of  Nazareth,  for  I  have  heard  somewhat  con 
cerning  him,  and  I  would  fain  hear  more." 

So  Saul  beginning  at  the  beginning  preached  to  him 

*  Saulos,  the  Greek  form  of  the  Hebrew  name  Saul  or  Shaul, 
signifies  wanton. 
f  Paul  or  Paulus  signifies  little. 


280  PA  UL. 

Jesus  of  Nazareth,  Son  of  God  and  son  of  man,  slain 
in  his  innocence,  as  a  lamb  without  spot  or  blemish, 
for  the  salvation  of  a  lost  world.  And  Sergius  Paulus 
listened,  leaning  forward  in  his  chair  as  one  who  is 
deeply  stirred. 

"A  newness  of  life  !"  he  murmured,  as  the  deep  elo 
quent  tones  of  the  speaker  ceased.  "  Can  it  be  true 
then,  that  death  does  not  end  all  ?"  He  raised  his 
eyes  thoughtfully  only  to  find  the  black  snake-like 
gaze  of  Bar-Jesus  riveted  upon  him.  The  Jew  who 
had  been  watching  the  scene  in  an  agony  of  impotent 
rage,  again  thrust  himself  betwixt  the  strangers  and 
his  erstwhile  patron  and  believer. 

"  Wilt  thou  then  allow  thyself  to  be  miserably  de 
luded  and  led  away  by  these  hypocritical  knaves,"  he 
cried  in  a  choked  voice ;  "all  that  they  have  said  is 
most  blasphemous  wickedness,  and  lies — foul  lies  !  I 
also  am  a  Jew,  and  I  am  not  ignorant  concerning  the 
Scriptures  and  prophecies  of  my  race ;  if  thou  wilt 
learn  concerning  the  great  Jehovah,  can  not  I  teach 
thee,  as  also  I  have  taught  thee  other  things  ?  Hast 
thou  forgotten — "  he  stooped  and  whispered  a  word 
or  two  into  the  ear  of  the  governor,  who  drew  back 
visibly  shaken. 

Then  Saul,  who  was  also  called  Paul,  filled  with  the 
Holy  Spirit,  set  his  eyes  upon  the  man. 

"  O,  full  of  all  subtilty  and  all  mischief,  thou  child 
of  the  devil,  thou  enemy  of  all  righteousness,  wilt 
thou  not  cease  to  pervert  the  right  ways  of  the  Lord  ? 
And  now,  behold,  the  hand  of  the  Lord  is  upon  thee, 


SENT  FORTH.  281 

and  thou  shalt  be  blind,  not  seeing  the  sun  for  a 
season  !" 

Immediately  there  fell  upon  the  sorcerer  a  mist  and 
a  darkness;  and  he  went  about  seeking  some  one  to 
lead  him  by  the  hand. 

As  for  Sergius  Paulus,  when  he  saw  what  was  done, 
he  was  astonished,  and  he  believed  from  that  hour. 


282  PAUL. 


CHAPTER   XXVII. 

A  LIGHT  OF  THE  GENTILES. 

"  TT^OR  myself  I  am  resolved  to  go  no  further;  I 
shall  return  to  Jerusalem."  The  face  of  the 
speaker  was  pale  and  determined,  though  the  hand 
which  he  laid  on  the  rude  table  trembled  visibly. 

The  three  travelers  had  just  arrived  at  Perga  and 
had  broken  a  long  fast  at  the  little  inn  near  the  wharf. 
The  older  men  discussed  plans  for  the  future  as  they 
ate.  They  determined  that  since  the  greater  part  of 
the  population  of  the  city  was  about  making  its  annual 
migration  to  the  mountain  uplands,  it  would  be  use 
less  to  tarry  in  Perga. 

"  We  will  follow  the  caravans,  preaching  wherever 
we  have  opportunity,"  Paul  had  said,  looking  thought 
fully  at  John,  who  sat  opposite  him.  "  We  shall  thus 
be  able  to  make  our  way  through  regions  otherwise 
inaccessible.  Truly,  all  things  work  together  for  us 
when  we  are  about  our  Master's  business." 

Then  it  was  that  the  young  man  had  announced  his 
determination  to  return  to  Jerusalem.  There  was  dead 
silence  for  a  full  moment  after  he  had  spoken  ;  pres 
ently  Barnabas  asked — his  voice  full  of  anxiety  : 

"Art  thou  sick?" 

"  Nay,  cousin,  I  am  well  enough  in  body,  but  I  am 


A  LIGHT  OF  THE  GENTILES.  283 

sick  at  heart,"  said  John,  rising  to  his  feet  and  pacing 
restlessly  up  and  down.  "  Of  what  use  is  our  labor  ? 
There  are  but  three  of  us  to  face  a  world.  These 
Gentiles  to  whom  we  preach  profess  to  believe,  it  is 
true,  but  what  will  hinder  them  from  returning  to  their 
false  gods,  once  we  have  left  them  ?  The  Roman,  Ser- 
gius  Paulus,  listened  to  the  Jew,  Bar-Jesus,  and  be 
lieved  ;  yesterday  he  heard  us,  beheld  a  miracle  and — 
believed.  To-morrow  it  may  chance  that  a  wandering 
Chaldean  with  his  blasphemous  magic  will  claim  his 
ear  ;  he  will  again  believe.  And  for  such  trophies  as 
this  we  are  about  to  penetrate  a  wild  mountain  region 
of  which  we  know  nothing,  save  that  famine  and  thirst 
and  wild  beasts  abound  there.  Follow  a  caravan  ? 
Madness  !  We  could  not  keep  up  with  it.  I  tell  you 
that  we  throw  our  lives  away  to  attempt  such  a  thing  ; 
and  why,  indeed,  should  we  attempt  it  ?  is  there  not 
work  in  abundance  lying  ready  to  our  hand  at  home  ? 
Are  there  no  Gentiles  in  Judaea  ?  As  I  have  said,  I 
am  constrained  to  abandon  the  project  here  and  now, 
and  thou  wilt  do  well,  cousin,  if  thou  shalt  think  twice 
before  leaping  into  the  darkness  which  is  before 
thee." 

"  God  hath  blessed  thee  and  kept  thee  in  past  days, 
my  son,"  said  Barnabas,  his  voice  trembling,  "  surely 
he  will  not  forsake  thee  now,  who  hast  laid  thy  hand 
to  the  plow  in  the  strength  and  vigor  of  thy  youth." 

"  I  am  ready  and  willing  to  work,"  answered  the 
young  man  sullenly  ;  "  but  a  prudent  man  must  count 
the  cost  of  his  ventures." 


284  PA  UL. 

The  deep  voice  of  Paul  broke  the  silence  that  fol 
lowed.  "Thou  hast  said  a  true  word,  friend,"  he 
said.  "A  prudent  man  must  count  the  cost  of  his 
ventures  ;  but  I  count  not  my  life  as  dear  unto  myself 
since  Christ  died  for  sinners,  of  whom  I  am  chief. 
Thou  shouldst  be  able  to  endure  hardness,  my  brother, 
even  as  a  good  soldier  of  Jesus  Christ.  If  a  man  would 
run  in  the  arena  he  is  not  crowned  except  he  finish  the 
race.  Yet  go  thy  way — if  thou  canst  not  come  with 
us  willingly,  and  the  Lord  give  thee  a  better  mind." 

So  the  young  man  turned  back  to  Jerusalem,  car 
rying  a  sore  heart  within  his  bosom.  But  Paul  and 
Barnabas  went  on  into  the  mountain-ranges  of  Taurus, 
traveling  sometimes  with  a  passing  caravan,  sometimes 
alone  and  on  foot,  toiling  over  well-nigh  impassable 
tracts  of  desert  country,  parched  with  the  glaring  heat 
of  cloudless  noons,  drenched  by  sudden  storms,  "  in 
perils  of  waters,  in  perils  of  robbers,  in  perils  in  the 
wilderness,  in  weariness  and  painfulness,  in  watchings 
often,  in  hunger  and  thirst,  in  fastings  often,  in  cold 
and  nakedness,"  until  at  length  after  many  days  they 
came  to  the  Roman  colony  of  Antioch,  just  beyond 
the  great  pass  into  Pisidia. 

In  Antiochia  Caesarea,  as  it  was  also  called,  they 
went  to  the  synagogue  of  the  Jews  at  the  appointed 
time  for  worship,  and  when  after  the  reading  of  the 
law  and  the  prophets,  the  rulers  of  the  synagogue  sent 
to  them  as  was  the  custom,  saying,  "If  ye  have  any 
word  of  exhortation  for  the  people,  we  pray  you  give 
it  now."  Paul  stood  up  and  began  to  speak. 


A  LIGHT  OF  THE  GENTILES.  285 

"  Men  of  Israel,  and  ye  that  fear  God,  pay  good 
heed  to  what  I  shall  say  to  you."  All  that  were  in 
the  synagogue  fixed  their  eyes  eagerly  upon  him,  for 
his  message  shone  in  his  face.  First  the  speaker  re 
viewed  briefly  the  wonderful  history  of  Israel,  chosen 
from  among  the  nations,  delivered  out  of  Egypt, 
sustained  in  the  wilderness  during  the  long  training 
time  of  forty  years ;  brought  with  a  strong  arm  into 
the  land  of  promise.  Passing  on  over  the  rule  of  the 
judges,  prophets  and  kings  of  Israel,  he  spoke  of 
David,  of  whom  also  God  said,  "  I  have  found  David, 
the  son  of  Jesse,  a  man  after  mine  own  heart,  which 
shall  fulfill  all  my  will. — Of  this  man's  seed  hath 
God  according  to  his  promise  raised  unto  Israel  a  Sa 
viour,  Jesus." 

Then  in  words  plain,  simple  and  easy  to  be  under 
stood  he  proclaimed  unto  them  the  marvelous  life  and 
death  of  Jesus,  rejected  and  slain  by  the  dwellers  in 
Jerusalem,  "  because  they  knew  him  not,  nor  yet  the 
voices  of  the  prophets  which  are  read  every  Sabbath 
day,  which  also  they  fulfilled  in  condemning  him. 
And  when  they  had  accomplished  all  that  was  written 
of  him,  they  took  him  down  from  the  tree  and  laid 
him  in  a  sepulchre.  But  God  raised  him  from  the 
dead ! 

"Be  it  known  unto  you,  men  and  brethren,  that 
through  this  man  is  preached  unto  you  the  forgive 
ness  of  sins  ;  and  by  him  all  that  believe  are  justified 
from  all  things,  from  which  ye  could  not  be  justified 
by  the  law  of  Moses.  Beware  therefore,  lest  that 


286  PAUL. 

come  upon  you  which  is  spoken  of  in  the  prophets ; 
Behold,  ye  despisers,  and  wonder,  and  perish  ;  for  I 
work  a  work  in  your  days,  a  work  which  ye  shall  in 
no  wise  believe,  though  a  man  declare  it  unto  you." 

When  the  service  was  finished,  the  rulers  of  the 
synagogue  and  the  chief  men  went  away  without  fur 
ther  notice  of  the  two  strangers,  for  they  were  dis 
pleased  with  what  had  been  spoken,  but  many  of  the 
humbler  Jews,  together  with  certain  Gentiles  who  were 
proselytes,  followed  them  and  asked  that  the  same 
words  might  be  preached  to  them  the  next  Sabbath  ; 
Paul  and  Barnabas  talked  with  these  further  and  per 
suaded  them  to  continue  in  the  grace  of  God. 

The  next  Sabbath  day  came  almost  the  whole  city 
together  to  hear  the  word  of  God.  And  when  the 
elders  of  the  congregation  looked  forth  over  the  mixed 
multitude  which  filled  their  quiet  orderly  place  of 
worship  full  even  to  overflowing  they  were  angry. 

"  Look  you,"  said  the  ruler  of  the  synagogue,  who 
was  called  Eliphaz.  "  Here  be  blasphemers,  eaters  of 
the  unclean  beast,  and  idolaters,  which  these  men  have 
gathered  from  out  the  four  corners  of  our  city ;  our 
synagogue  is  defiled  by  them,  the  sanctity  of  the  law 
is  threatened ;  the  peace  of  Israel  is  disturbed.  So 
now  let  us  withstand  the  man  to  his  face  as  he  shall 
speak,  lest  the  walls  of  our  Zion  be  broken  down  and 
we  be  left  desolate." 

Accordingly  as  Paul  again  proclaimed  the  glad-tid 
ings  of  Jesus,  a  Saviour  from  sin,  a  holy  and  acceptable 
sacrifice  made  once  for  all,  releasing  man  from  the 


A  LIGHT  OF  THE  GENTILES.  287 

burden  of  the  law — a  Christ  raised  from  among  the 
dead  into  an  eternity  of  glory,  they  broke  in  with 
loud  denials,  calling  upon  the  people  to  pay  no  heed 
to  the  strangers. 

"Who  are  these  men?"  cried  the  ruler  of  the  syna 
gogue,  beating  the  air  with  his  hands,  "  who  come  un 
known  and  unheralded  into  our  midst  ?  Behold,  they 
speak  lies  and  blasphemies  !  If  this  man  Jesus,  whom 
they  proclaim,  was  condemned  to  death  by  the  most 
holy  council  of  Jerusalem,  then  are  we  satisfied  that 
he  deserved  to  die,  for  what  higher  or  more  sacred 
tribunal  is  there  on  earth  than  the  Sanhedrim  ?  If  he 
was  crucified,  you  that  are  Romans  will  know  that  he 
must  have  been  a  great  criminal,  for  Roman  justice 
hath  become  a  proverb  even  among  us.  Shall  we  who 
live  holy  lives  after  the  law,  suffer  these  loud-mouthed 
strangers  to  speak  against  the  law?  Shall  we  who 
long  for  the  coming  of  our  promised  King,  listen 
without  a  protest  to  these  blasphemous  knaves  as  they 
proclaim  in  this  holy  place  a  criminal  done  to  death  on 
the  accursed  tree,  as  the  Messiah  of  Israel  ?" 

An  indescribable  tumult  followed  this  outburst, 
some  crying  out  one  thing,  and  some  another.  But 
Paul  and  Barnabas  stood  unmoved,  silenced  indeed  by 
the  uproar,  but  calm  and  evidently  unafraid  of  the  now 
furious  Jews. 

"Away  with  them  !  Away  with  them  !"  shrieked 
some,  "Stone  the  blasphemers  !" 

"  Hear  !  hear  !    Let  us  hear  what  they  will  say  !" 

At   length    some  measure  of  order    having   been 


288  PAUL. 

restored  by  the  active  interference  of  the  officers  of  the 
synagogue,  Paul  turned  to  the  man  who  had  insulted 
them. 

"  It  was  necessary  that  the  word  of  God  should 
first  be  spoken  to  you,"  he  said  with  no  sign  of  anger 
in  face  or  voice  ;  "  but  seeing  that  ye  thrust  it  from 
you,  judging  yourselves  to  be  unworthy  of  eternal 
life,  lo,  we  turn  to  the  Gentiles.  For  so  hath  the  Lord 
commanded  us,  saying  :  *  I  have  set  thee  to  be  a  light 
of  the  Gentiles,  that  thou  shouldst  be  for  salvation 
unto  the  ends  of  the  earth.'  ' 

At  this  the  Greeks  and  other  foreigners  who  were 
in  the  synagogue  raised  a  cry  of  joy  and  triumph  ; 
many  of  them  also  believed,  and  these  carried  word 
of  the  glad-tidings  throughout  all  the  country  about 
Antioch. 

But  the  Jews  were  not  minded  to  let  the  matter 
rest.  Among  their  proselytes  were  certain  foreign 
women  of  high  rank,  who  had  embraced  the  Jewish 
faith  with  all  the  ardor  of  empty  hearts.  To  these 
women  they  went,  knowing  full  well  that  through 
them  they  might  hope  to  enlist  the  co-operation  of  the 
authorities. 

"  Who  knows,  noble  lady,"  said  the  wily  Eliphaz  to 
the  wife  of  the  Roman  deputy,  "  but  that,  like  the 
noble  queen  Esther  of  old,  thou  wast  called  to  the 
kingdom  for  such  a  time  as  this  ;  if  thou  shalt  through 
thine  influence  rid  our  city  of  these  noxious  blas 
phemers,  the  blessing  of  Jehovah  shall  abide  with  thee 
in  no  small  measure." 


A  LIGHT  OF  THE  GENTILES.  289 

The  lady  straightway  laid  the  matter  before  her 
husband. 

"  Turbulent  strangers — created  a  disturbance  in  the 
synagogue — set  the  Jews  by  the  ears.  Not  a  hard 
thing  to  do  ;  they  are  quarrelsome  dogs,"  grumbled 
that  official  frowning.  "  Peaceable  enough  before, 
dost  thou  say  ?  That  is  true  ;  and  the  religion  of  the 
Jews  is  the  only  true  religion  ?  yes — so  thou  hast  told 
me  before.  Well,  and  what  dost  thou  want  of  me  in 
the  matter?" 

"Put  them  to  death,  my  lord  !"  cried  the  lady,  an 
angiy  glitter  in  her  blue  eyes,  "they  are  blasphemers  !" 

The  Roman  shrugged  his  shoulders,  "  Thou  art  an 
over-apt  pupil,  my  Julia,"  he  said  filliping  her  pink 
ear  betwixt  his  thumb  and  forefinger.  "  I  must  take 
thee  back  to  Rome  till  thou  shalt  forget  what  these 
hypocritical  knaves  have  taught  thee,  for,  by  Apollo, 
I  like  it  not.  Yet  I  will  see  to  it  that  these  beggars 
be  sent  about  their  business — and  at  once  ;  there  shall 
be  no  disturbances  of  any  sort  in  the  place,  whilst  I 
govern  it." 

So  it  happened  that  Paul  and  Barnabas  received 
official  notice  that  their  presence  in  Antioch  was  no 
longer  desired. 

"  If  ye  be  found  in  the  borders  of  the  city  after  mid 
day,"  ran  the  order,  "  we  can  no  longer  be  answer 
able  for  your  bodily  safety." 

"  When  they  persecute  you  in  one  city  flee  ye  to 
another,"  quoted  Barnabas,  handing  the  missive  to  his 
companion. 

19 


29G  PA  UL. 


"We  have  kindled  the  fire,"  said  Paul  thought 
fully  ;  "  the  opposition  of  the  Jews  is  even  as  the 
empty  wind  which  will  serve  to  spread  the  flames  far 
and  wide.  Come,  let  us  be  going." 


A  MESSENGER  OF  THE  MOST  HIGH.  291 


CHAPTER   XXVIII. 

A    MESSENGER    OF    THE    MOST    HIGH. 

"  "\"\  7  E  have  rid  ourselves  of  the  blasphemers  it  is 
*  »  true,  but  alas  !  I  fear  me  that  our  duty 
hath  been  but  poorly  performed."  Eliphaz,  ruler  of 
the  synagogue  in  Pisidian  Antioch,  wagged  his  head 
gently  from  side  to  side  as  though  his  feelings  were 
too  deep  for  utterance. 

"  In  what  have  we  failed  ?  Surely  Israel  hath  tri 
umphed  gloriously.  Our  enemies  have  departed 
weighed  down  with  defeat  and  humiliation,  Jehovah 
be  praised  !  I  myself  saw  the  men  as  they  passed  out 
from  the  city  gates  followed  by  a  filthy  rabble  of  dogs 
and  Gentiles — who  despite  the  driveling  flattery  of  the 
knaves  were  not  slow  to  pursue  them  with  stones  and 
curses." 

"  Would  that  they  had  stoned  the  life  out  of  them  !" 
cried  Eliphaz  with  sudden  energy.  "  Hear,  sons  of 
Abraham  !  We  have  sent  forth  this  foul  heresy,  which 
is  even  as  a  deadly  serpent,  threatening  to  smother  in 
its  sinuous  coils  the  body  of  suffering  Israel,  and  in 
this  have  we  sinned  :  we  should  rather  have  dealt  with 
them  according  to  the  law,  and  the  law  is  death." 

"  Impossible,  my  brother,  without  the  Roman 
authority,"  objected  one  of  the  council  mildly;  "the 


292  PA  UL. 

men  had  transgressed  no  law  of  Roman  making — 
which  is  the  only  law  the  accursed  recognize." 

Eliphaz  rolled  up  his  eyes  to  heaven.  "  How  long, 
O  Lord,  how  long !"  he  wailed,  wringing  his  bony 
hands  and  beating  upon  his  breast. 

The  councilors  gazed  at  him  with  respectful  admi 
ration.  "What  zeal!  what  holy  zeal!"  they  mur 
mured.  "Ah!  what  a  godly  man  is  our  ruler, 
Eliphaz,  son  of  Eliud." 

The  son  of  Eliud  ceased  to  beat  upon  his  breast 
after  a  time  ;  he  sat  quite  motionless  with  closed  eyes. 
His  brother  officials  pulled  at  their  venerable  beards 
in  silence. 

"  I  am  going  to  the  city  of  Iconium,"  said  Eliphaz 
presently,  in  the  feeble  voice  of  one  exhausted  by  his 
emotions.  "  The  blasphemers  have  gone  thither." 

The  councilors  looked  at  one  another  in  rapturous 
surprise.  What  a  wonderful  man  was  this  ruler  of 
theirs  ;  truly  was  there  any  knowledge  to  which  men 
could  attain  that  he  had  not  already  grasped. 

"  I  shall  expose  them  there,"  continued  Eliphaz 
slowly,  opening  his  small  grey  eyes.  "  I  shall — 
accomplish  their  death." 

"Jehovah  be  praised!"  exclaimed  the  council  in  a 
chorus. 

Iconium  in  the  midst  of  its  green  oasis,  stands  like 
a  sentinel  on  the  border  of  that  interminable  waste  of 
bleak  and  dreary  upland  which  stretches  away  to  meet 
the  distant  ranges  of  snow-clad  mountains.  A  pleas 
ant  and  peaceful  spot  was  the  little  city,  where  life 


A  MESSENGER  OF  THE  MOST  HIGH.  293 

flowed  smoothly  on  most  days  of  the  year,  yet  within 
the  waxing  and  waning  of  a  single  moon  the  place  had 
become  the  scene  of  a  strange  warfare — carried  on,  it 
is  true,  with  only  tongues  for  weapons  ;  but  is  it  not 
written,  The  tongue  is  a  little  member,  but  boasteth 
great  things.  It  came  to  pass  at  length  in  Iconium 
that  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  city,  as  many  as  could 
wield  this  small  but  mighty  weapon,  were  divided  into 
two  factions,  betwixt  which  the  battle  raged  unremit 
tingly.  What  then  had  happened  ? 

Two  strangers,  upon  whose  heads  rested  the  mys 
terious  flame  of  the  Spirit,  whose  lips  also  had  been 
touched  with  a  live  coal  from  off  the  altar,  had  kindled 
this  fierce  outburst  with  but  a  few  plain  and  simple 
utterances.  Jesus  of  Nazareth  is  the  son  of  the  Most 
High  God — the  Messiah  !  He  was  slain  upon  the 
cross,  but  God  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead.  He 
hath  fulfilled  the  law.  In  him  alone  is  forgiveness  of 
sins  and  life  everlasting. 

And  those  that  would,  took  of  the  bread  and  water 
of  life  and  were  healed  forthwith  of  the  maddening 
pangs  of  soul-hunger ;  but  to  them  who  would  not, 
the  words  sounded  like  the  babbling  of  demoniacs. 

"These  men  are  true  prophets  !"  cried  one  from  out 
the  multitude.  "  Behold  the  wonders  of  healing 
wrought  by  their  hands  !" 

"  O  fools  and  blind  !"  wailed  Eliphaz,  from  the  steps 
of  the  synagogue.  "  These  men  also  led  after  them 
a  base  rabble  of  the  accursed  in  Antioch,  and  were 
expelled  from  out  our  city,  clad  with  shame  as  with  a 


294  PA  UL. 

garment.  Children  of  the  devil  are  they,  and  through 
the  powers  of  darkness  they  work  these  seeming  cures. 
Beware  lest  to-morrow  these  sick  folk  whom  they  have 
defiled  with  their  touch  perish  in  torments." 

The  mob,  composed  of  Jews  and  the  dregs  of  the 
foreign  population,  needed  no  urging ;  stopping  only 
to  gather  up  the  loose  paving-stones  from  the  street, 
they  rushed  with  a  howl  toward  the  great  central 
square  of  the  city  where  the  strangers  had  been  wont 
to  preach  to  the  multitudes. 

"  Rend  the  wretches  limb  from  limb  !  Stone  them  ! 
Knive  them  !" 

But  the  strangers  were  nowhere  to  be  found ; 
warned  of  the  murderous  designs  against  them,  they 
had  quietly  left  the  city  some  hours  before  and  were 
well  away  on  the  road  to  Lystra,  a  small  town  forty 
miles  distant. 

There  was  no  synagogue  in  the  mountain  village  of 
Lystra,  but  a  temple  to  Jupiter  reared  its  walls  just 
outside  the  gates,  where  the  primitive  inhabitants  were 
wont  to  implore  the  favor  of  their  guardian  deity. 
After  some  consultation  the  travelers  asked  leave  to 
speak  to  the  people  in  the  market-place  :  permission 
being  readily  granted,  they  proclaimed  to  the  wonder 
ing  villagers  the  glad-tidings  of  the  cross. 

Among  those  that  listened  eagerly  once  and  again, 
the  keen  eye  of  Paul  noticed  a  wretched  cripple,  who 
was  fetched  to  the  market-place  day  by  day  that  he 
might  ask  alms  of  the  passers-by. 

As  the  beggar  listened  for  the  third  time  to  the 


A  MESSENGER  OF  THE  MOST  HIGH.  295 

wondrous  story  of  Jesus,  Paul  perceived  that  singular 
shining  in  his  eyes  which  indeed  cannot  be  hid,  for  it 
is  the  light  of  heaven. 

"The  man  hath  faith  to  be  healed,"  he  thought 
within  himself,  and  fixing  his  compelling  eyes  upon 
the  cripple,  he  said  with  a  loud  voice,  "  Stand  upright 
on  thy  feet !" 

Immediately  the  man  leapt  up  and  walked. 

"A  wondrous  miracle!"  cried  one  of  the  specta 
tors  in  the  rustic  speech  of  Lycaonia,  "  Behold  the 
gods  are  come  down  to  us  in  the  likeness  of  men  !" 

Paul  and  Barnabas  perceiving  that  they  could  speak 
no  further  with  the  people  because  of  the  uproar,  yet 
understanding  nothing  of  what  was  being  said,  retired 
to  their  lodging-place.* 

"  Was  I  not  oppressed  with  awe  when  the  venerable 
stranger  approached  me?"  said  the  chief  man  of  the 
village,  gesticulating  violently  in  his  excitement.  "  Be 
hold  his  majestic  height,  his  flowing  beard,  his  benig 
nant  front.  Lo,  our  guardian  Zeus  hath  visited  his 
people  in  human  form  !" 

"O  wondrous  day!  O  blessed  day!"  cried  the 
multitude  in  ecstacy. 

"And  the  younger  stranger,"  broke  in  another, 
"with  his  fiery  eyes,  his  eloquent  tongue  and  his 
small  agile  figure,  who  should  this  be  save  the  mes- 

*  The  Apostle's  discourse  to  the  Lycaonians  was  doubtless 
delivered  in  the  Greek  tongue,  which  was  universally  understood 
at  that  day,  but  the  people  in  their  excitement  very  naturally 
lapsed  into  the  native  vernacular. 


296  PA  UL. 

senger,  Hermes,  who  ever  attends  the  sovereign  Zeus, 
and  who  hath  graciously  given  from  the  divine  power 
of  his  winged  feet  to  the  feet  which  never  have  walked." 

"  Let  us  do  them  honor  straightway,  lest  they  be 
offended  and  smite  us  in  their  wrath  !"  counseled  the 
priest  of  Jupiter,  who  had  been  fetched  with  haste  to 
the  scene  of  the  miracle. 

Selecting  from  among  their  herds  the  snow-white 
bullocks,  reserved  for  the  great  triennial  festival  of  the 
Olympic  deities,  the  priests  brought  them  with  solemn 
chanting  before  the  gates,  where  was  assembled  a  fes 
tive  crowd  of  citizens,  eager  to  do  honor  to  the  divine 
visitants.  Quickly  they  formed  into  line,  the  priests 
walking  in  front  leading  the  victims,  wreathed  and 
garlanded.  Then  followed  in  good  order,  citizens  on 
foot,  armed  with  spear  and  shield,  with  others  on  horse 
back  ;  the  old  men  of  the  village  bearing  olive  branches, 
and  the  wives  of  the  chief  men  laden  with  votive  offer 
ings  ;  after  these  walked  young  virgins  two  by  two, 
carrying  baskets  containing  the  sacred  knives  and  ves 
sels  to  be  used  in  the  forthcoming  sacrifice  ;  last  came 
the  humbler  matrons  and  young  children.  Every 
face  shone  with  joy,  every  voice  was  upraised  in  the 
sacred  hymn  of  thanksgiving  as  the  little  procession 
wound  through  the  village  streets  toward  the  house 
where  lodged  the  two  strangers. 

"  Hearest  thou  the  sound  of  rejoicing,  gracious 
divinity,"  said  the  man  of  the  house,  approaching  his 
guests  with  deep  reverence.  "  I  pray  thee,  heaven - 
born  stranger,  who  hast  honored  my  humble  roof  with 


A  MESSENGER  OF  THE  MOST  HIGH.  297 

thy  presence,  speak  now  with  thine  august  companion 
— before  whose  face  I  scarce  venture  to  stand,  and  tell 
him  that  •  the  priests  and  the  people  are  approaching 
with  sacrifices  to  do  him  honor." 

Paul  looked  up  in  sudden  consternation  from  the 
parchment  roll  which  he  was  studying.  "Surely  thou 
dost  mistake — "  he  began,  then  he  stopped  short;  the 
sounds  of  loud  joyous  voices  and  the  lowing  of  oxen 
floated  in  at  the  open  window. 

"  Tell  me,"  he  said  sternly,  turning  to  his  host,  who 
was  staring  at  Barnabas  with  wide  reverent  eyes,  "  what 
do  the  people  take  us  to  be  ?" 

"  Do  not  be  angry  with  me,  O  Hermes.,  if  the  people 
have  discovered  thy  divinity,  hidden  though  it  be  be 
neath  the  veil  of  flesh,"  wailed  the  man  sinking  to  his 
knees. 

"  Hermes  !"  cried  Paul  in  amaze.  "  O  foolish  man, 
what  hath  bewitched  thee !"  He  grasped  his  com 
panion  by  the  arm.  "  They  think  us  gods  !"  he  said 
hurriedly,  "  Come,  let  us  go  forth  to  them." 

"  Behold  the  gods  !"  cried  the  multitude,  which  had 
gathered  about  the  house ;  the  cry  was  echoed  by  a 
jubilant  shout  from  the  approaching  procession. 

"  Sirs !"  cried  Paul  in  a  loud  voice,  rending  his  gar 
ment  as  he  ran  among  them,  "  why  do  ye  these  things  ?" 

"  They  are  not  minded  to  reveal  their  divinity,  my 
children,"  said  the  priest  of  Jupiter  solemnly,  "never 
theless  it  is  fitting  that  we  do  them  sacrifice." 

"  Not  so  !  I  declare  to  you  that  we  also  are  men 
of  like  passions  with  you  ;  we  proclaim  to  you  that 


298  PAUL. 

ye  should  turn  from  these  vanities  unto  the  living  God, 
who  made  heaven,  and  earth,  and  the  sea,  and  all  things 
that  are  therein." 

The  priests  had  fallen  back  now,  and  were  staring 
suspiciously  at  the  speaker. 

"  God  in  times  past  suffered  all  nations  to  walk  in 
their  own  ways  ;  yet  he  left  not  himself  without  wit 
nesses,  in  that  he  did  us  good,  and  gave  us  rain  from 
heaven,  and  fruitful  seasons,  filling  our  hearts  with 
food  and  gladness." 

The  priests  turned  resolutely  away,  leading  the  vo 
tive  offerings.  "  There  is  some  strange  mystery  here," 
they  said.  "  We  will  slay  the  beasts  before  the  tem 
ple  and  consult  the  entrails." 

"What  hath  happened  in  your  city  to-day?"  asked 
a  bearded  and  turbaned  stranger,  politely  accosting 
one  of  the  inhabitants  who  was  following  the  retreat 
ing  priests,  "  for  I  perceive  by  the  commotion  in  your 
streets  that  it  is  a  matter  of  no  small  moment." 

"A  matter  of  no  small  moment  indeed  !"  answered 
the  man  sullenly.  "  Two  strangers  who  have  tarried 
in  our  town  for  three  days  past — who  have  also  spoken 
strange  things  and  hard  to  be  understood — performed 
a  miracle  in  our  midst,  the  like  of  which  was  never 
seen  in  these  parts,  but  when  we  would  have  done 
them  reverence  —  supposing  them  to  be  gods,  they 
refused  to  listen  to  us,  and  proclaimed  some  strange 
deity,  calling  upon  us  to  forsake  the  gods  of  our 
fathers,  which  have  protected  us  from  the  days  of  old 
even  until  now." 


A  MESSENGER  OF  THE  MOST  HIGH.  299 

At  that  the  new-comer  rent  his  clothes.  "Alas  !" 
he  cried  in  a  loud  voice,  "  the  deceivers  who  have 
wrought  ruin  in  Iconium  and  in  Antioch  have  come 
hither  also  !  Know,  unhappy  Lystrians,  that  these 
men  are  foul  blasphemers,  children  of  the  wicked  one, 
who  will  assuredly  lead  you  away  into  eternal  death, 
if  ye  resist  them  not !" 

"  Blasphemers — sorcerers — murderers  !"  the  blast 
ing  words  ran  like  forked  lightning  amid  the  sullen 
disappointed  crowd. 

"  If  ye  would  save  yourselves  from  the  wrath  of  the 
great  God,"  cried  the  stranger,  "  slay  these  men  and 
cast  them  forth  from  your  walls  !" 

As  in  Iconium  the  people  needed  no  second  bidding  ; 
arming  themselves  with  stones,  they  rushed  back  to 
the  spot  where  but  an  hour  since  they  had  stood  with 
joyous  faces,  chanting  their  simple  hymns  of  thanks 
giving.  Paul  was  still  speaking  to  the  few  who  had 
lingered  behind,  and  upon  him  they  fell  savagely.  A 
whirlwind  of  sticks,  stones,  and  dust,  a  smothered 
groan,  savage  shouts  and  imprecations,  frightened 
shrieks  and  sobs  from  the  on-looking  women  and  chil 
dren,  and  all  was  over. 

"The  loud-mouthed  liar  will  trouble  Lystra  no 
more!"  said  a  brawny  peasant  with  an  oath,  as  he 
wiped  the  dust  from  his  face. 

"So  perish  all  enemies  of  the  law  !"  murmured  the 
turbaned  and  bearded  strangers.  "  But  come,  let  us 
hasten,  we  be  already  grievously  defiled  by  the  touch 
of  these  idolaters."  And  having  accomplished  their 


300  PAUL. 

pious  purpose,  they  went  their  peaceful  way  to  their 
own  cities. 

Outside  the  walls  of  Lystra  in  the  dim  twilight,  a 
weeping  group  gathered  about  the  motionless  body  of 
a  man  which  lay  upon  the  ground. 

"  It  cannot  be  that  he  is  dead  !"  wailed  the  beggar 
whom  he  had  healed.  "  It  cannot — cannot  be  !" 

"  Let  me  try  this  fresh  water,"  said  a  gentle  voice 
in  the  ear  of  Barnabas,  as  he  crouched  quite  bewil 
dered  with  grief  at  the  side  of  his  stricken  comrade. 
"  It  may  be  that  he  is  only  stunned.  Ah,  see  !  I  am 
sure  that  he  stirred  !" 

Presently  the  dim  eyes  opened,  and  the  voice  which 
no  one  of  them  had  hoped  to  hear  again  murmured, 
"  It  is  a  faithful  saying,  if  we  die  with  him,  we  shall 
also  live  with  him :  if  we  suffer,  we  shall  also  reign 
with  him." 


THE  CALLING  OF  TIMOTHY.  301 


CHAPTER   XXIX. 

THE    CALLING    OF    TIMOTHY. 

r  I  ^HE  wife  of  the  dead  Andronicus  dwelt  in  a  small 
A  house  near  the  gates  of  Lystra.  She  mingled 
little  with  her  gayer  neighbors,  and  was  but  seldom 
seen  either  at  the  fountain  or  in  the  market-place, 
never  in  the  temple  of  Jupiter.  "  She  is  a  Jewess," 
whispered  her  neighbors  with  a  shrug,  when  the  young 
Greek  first  brought  his  dark-eyed  bride  to  dwell  in  the 
village.  The  whisper  was  repeated  many  times  during 
the  quiet  years  that  followed,  but  it  was  never  more 
than  a  whisper,  for  Andronicus  was  known  to  be  a 
man  with  whom  it  was  not  safe  to  quarrel.  In  the 
third  year  of  their  marriage  a  child  was  born,  and  six 
months  later  the  father  died  of  fever.  There  was 
much  rude  sympathy  expressed  for  the  widow ;  she 
received  it  quietly. 

"  Thou  shouldst  fetch  thy  boy  to  the  temple,  or  he 
will  be  unlucky,"  said  one  of  these  would-be  com 
forters,  fixing  curious  eyes  upon  the  delicate  tear- 
stained  face  ;  "  the  jealous  gods  have  already  punished 
thee  by  slaying  thy  husband,  what  if  they  also  smite 
thy  son  and  thou  be  left  desolate,  like  the  impious 
Niobe?" 

At  that  the  widow — she  was  called  Eunice — cried 
out  with  a  loud  and  bitter  cry.  "  Lo,  I  am  deso- 


302  PAUL. 

late !  My  God  hath  smitten  me,  because  that  I 
turned  aside  from  the  law  of  Israel.  The  curse  hath 
come  upon  me,  even  as  the  priest  of  Jehovah  said ; 
but  what  could  I  do,  for  my  heart  flew  out  of  my 
bosom  like  a  dove  and  followed  after  my  beloved  ? 
Spare  thou  my  son,  O  Jehovah,  who  also  art  the  God 
of  the  widow  and  the  fatherless !" 

"  Thou  wilt  do  well  if  thou  pray  no  more  to  strange 
gods,"  persisted  the  woman.  "Come  now  with  me, 
and  make  an  offering  to  the  good  Venus  ;  the  goddess 
will  perchance  send  thee  another  husband — for  indeed 
thou  art  comely  enough  in  thy  way." 

Eunice  arose  from  her  place  looking  very  tall  and 
stately.  "  Thou  shalt  not  repeat  such  words  in  my 
ears,"  she  said  quietly,  but  there  was  that  in  her  eyes 
which  caused  her  neighbor  to  hastily  withdraw,  mut 
tering  something  about  the  week's  baking. 

A  few  days  later  an  elderly  woman  was  seen  to  enter 
the  cottage  by  the  gate,  upon  whose  neck  the  young 
widow  fell  with  tears  and  sobs. 

They  had  dwelt  there,  all  three,  ever  since,  the  quiet 
years  bringing  little  change  save  to  the  babe,  who 
despite  the  dismal  prognostications  of  the  townspeople 
had  grown  into  a  slender  serious  lad  of  fifteen. 

Timothy — for  so  he  was  called — was  not  like  the 
other  boys  of  the  town,  for  in  his  early  childhood  he 
had  been  seldom  allowed  outside  the  walls  of  his 
mother's  little  garden,  and  as  he  grew  older  he  shrank 
timidly  from  the  loud-mouthed  quarrelsome  urchins, 
who  swarmed  in  the  village  streets. 


THE  CALLING  OF  TIMOTHY.  303 

Once,  when  he  was  in  his  sixth  year,  tempted  by  the 
sound  of  music,  he  had  stolen  out  from  the  gate.  A 
heathen  procession  was  passing  with  solemn  chanting 
and  the  playing  of  pipes  and  lutes.  The  boy  stood  as 
if  spell-bound,  his  delicate  face  aglow,  his  yellow  curls 
shining  in  the  sunlight  like  an  aureole ;  but  on  a  sud 
den  his  dream  of  delight  was  rudely  broken,  a  rabble 
of  boys  big  and  little,  who  brought  up  the  rear  of  the 
procession  spied  him  standing  there. 

"  Hi,  Jew  !  Jew  !"  they  cried  derisively.  "  Get  thee 
out  of  sight,  thou  hast  an  evil  eye  !  Get  thee  back  to 
thy  witch-mother !" 

The  words  smote  the  child  like  the  blow  of  a  brutal 
fist,  he  scarce  noticed  the  stinging  smart  of  the  peb 
bles  which  rattled  about  his  ears. 

"  Mother  !  Mother  !"  he  cried  rushing  back  into 
the  garden.  And  "  Mother,  mother,"  was  all  he  could 
say  for  his  weeping. 

It  was  the  wise  grandmother,  Lois,  who  took  him 
upon  her  knee,  and  after  a  time  coaxed  from  him  some 
account  of  what  had  taken  place. 

"They  called  thee  a  Jew !"  she  said,  her  eyes  kind 
ling.  "  Thanks  be  to  Jehovah,  thou  hast  the  blood 
of  Israel  in  thy  veins  !  Daughter,  we  have  done  evil 
in  that  we  have  kept  the  child  thus  long  from  his 
birthright." 

From  that  time  the  little  Timothy  was  daily  in 
structed  in  the  wonderful  history  of  his  mother's 
people. 

"If  the  Messiah  should  come,  mother,"  he  said  one 


304  PA  UL. 

day  thoughtfully,  "  how  shall  we  know  it  in  this  place, 
so  far  from  our  own  nation  ?" 

"  He  will  gather  his  elect  from  every  nation,  son  of 
mine,"  she  answered  tenderly.  Yet  her  heart  misgave 
her  as  she  looked  into  his  face  with  its  Greek  forehead 
and  mouth  and  the  deep  sad  eyes  of  her  own  race. 
Would  the  haughty  prince  of  Israel  receive  this  son 
of  an  apostate  Jewess  and  a  heathen  Greek  ?  That  he 
would  be  cast  forth  with  loathing  from  any  Jewish 
synagogue  in  the  land  she  knew  right  well.  She  be 
moaned  herself  because  of  these  things  to  her  mother, 
and  the  good  Lois  replied  stoutly. 

"  There  be  more  words  than  the  law  written  in  the 
Scriptures,  my  daughter,  and  all  of  them  for  our  good. 
Behold  in  a  market-place  there  be  set  forth  many 
things  for  food,  both  of  fish,  of  beasts,  and  of  fowls ; 
eggs  also  and  fruits,  corn,  wheat,  barley  and  green 
things  from  the  gardens,  honey  from  the  hives ;  like 
wise  the  milk  of  herds,  butter,  and  cheeses  of  goats' 
milk.  Yet  no  man  eateth  of  them  all  on  a  single  day, 
but  chooseth  from  among  them  such  things  as  he 
hath  stomach  for  ;  thus  he  is  nourished  and  made 
strong  for  the  labor  of  life.  So  in  the  Scriptures  we  have 
the  law,  which  is  the  strong  meat ;  but  there  be  also 
loving  and  goodly  sayings  which  nourish  the  fainting 
soul  even  as  the  dewy  figs,  the  delicate  honey  and  the 
fresh  milk  nourish  the  fainting  body,  whereas  the  strong 
meats  would  cause  distemper.  Listen  now,  whilst  I 
read  to  thee  from  the  words  of  David,  who  also  sinned 
grievously  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord,  yet  was  forgiven. 


THE  CALLING  OF  TIMOTHY.  305 

"  '  I  love  the  Lord, 

Because  he  hath  heard  my  supplications, 
Because  he  hath  inclined  his  ear  unto  me, 
Therefore  will  I  call  upon  him  as  long  as  I  live; 
The  sorrows  of  death  compassed  me, 
And  the  pains  of  death  gat  hold  upon  me. 

I  found  trouble  and  sorrow. 
Then  called  I  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord. 

0  Lord,  I  beseech  thee,  deliver  my  soul ! 
Gracious  is  the  Lord,  and  righteous  : 
Yea,  our  God  is  merciful. 

The  Lord  preserveth  the  helpless, 

1  was  brought  low,  and  he  helped  me.' 

"And  again, 

"  '  If  thou,  O  Lord,  should st  mark  iniquities, 

Who  should  stand  ? 
But  there  is  forgiveness  with  thee. 
With  the  Lord  there  is  mercy, 
With  him  there  is  plenteous  redemption.' 

"  Canst  thou  not  find  comfort  and  satisfaction  in 
such  words,  my  daughter?" 

"Yes,  truly,  but — "  and  Eunice  hung  her  head 
sadly.  "  My  son  is  not — he  is  not  of  the  chosen 
race." 

The  mother's  faded  cheek  flushed.  Her  grandson, 
Timothy,  was  as  the  apple  of  her  eye.  "Tell  me," 
she  cried,  "was  not  Ruth,  the  Moabitess  also  an  alien 
— of  whom  the  neighbor  women  said  to  Naomi,  the 
Jewess,  '  Behold,  thy  daughter-in-law  which  loveth 
thee  is  better  to  thee  than  seven  sons ' — whose  son's 
son  was  also  David,  King  of  Israel ;  of  which  lineage, 
it  is  written,  shall  come  in  the  fullness  of  time  the 

20 


306  PAUL. 

Messiah.  Thy  son  Timothy  shall  be  blessed  ;  with 
mine  eyes  also  shall  I  see  it." 

Without  waiting  for  an  answer  the  good  woman 
rose  up  from  her  place  and  wrapping  herself  in  her 
veil  went  out  to  the  market-place.  "  I  will  buy  a 
choice  fowl,"  she  said  in  her  heart,  "  that  I  may  make 
a  goodly  dish  for  the  lad  and  for  his  mother.  I  will 
dress  it  moreover  with  mine  own  hands  that  they  may 
eat  and  be  glad  ;  surely  savory  meat  maketh  a  merry 
heart,  and  there  is  overmuch  sadness  under  our 
roof." 

There  was  a  crowd  in  the  market-place  that  morn 
ing,  at  which  Lois  inwardly  wondered,  but  she  walked 
straight  towards  the  poulterer's  stall,  intent  only  upon 
her  errand. 

"  How  much  art  thou  asking  for  a  choice  fowl  this 
morning?"  she  said  ;  but  the  keeper  of  the  stall  was 
paying  no  heed.  He  was  standing  upon  an  upturned 
basket,  mouth  and  eyes  wide  open,  apparently  en 
grossed  with  his  efforts  to  hear  something  which  was 
going  on  over  against  the  fish  market. 

"Sluggard!"  exclaimed  Lois  wrathfully.  "Thou 
wouldst  do  well  to  attend  to  thy  business  ;  eyes  that 
wander  to  and  fro,  and  ears  that  hear  not  the  call  of 
duty,  so  shall  poverty  come  upon  thee  as  an  armed 
man."  She  turned  nevertheless  to  see  what  the  man 
was  looking  at,  and  straightway  forgot  the  poulterer 
and  her  errand  with  him. 

Elevated  slightly  above  the  heads  of  the  rustic  crowd 
which  gathered  about  him,  stood  a  small  dark  man. 


THE  CALLING  OF  TIMOTHY.  307 

A  fragment  of  what  he  was  saying  floated  distinctly 
across  the  intervening  space. 

"And  in  this  is  the  Son  of  God  made  manifest,  that 
while  we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died  for  us.  For  the 
wages  of  sin  is  death  ;  but  the  gift  of  God  is  eternal  life 
through  Jesus  Christ,  our  Lord." 

"The  Messiah!"  gasped  Lois,  turning  pale,  "he 
speaks  of  the  Messiah  !" 

Dropping  her  basket  she  hurried  back  to  the  little 
cottage  by  the  gate.  "  Come,"  she  cried  breathlessly, 
seizing  the  startled  Eunice  by  the  arm.  "  Come 
quickly ;  there  be  tidings  of  the  Messiah  !  The  lad, 
too,  where  is  he  ?" 

And  so  it  came  to  pass  that  Lois  and  Eunice  and 
the  boy  Timothy  heard  the  story  of  Jesus  from  the  lips 
of  Paul.  It  never  entered  into  their  simple  hearts  to 
doubt  either  the  man  or  his  message.  And  while  they 
wept  much  at  the  thought  of  the  terrible  cross,  they 
also  caught  something  of  the  triumphant  joy  of  the 
inspired  speaker,  as  he  flung  a  halo  of  glory  about  the 
symbol  of  shame  and  death. 

The  three  witnessed  the  healing  of  the  lame  man, 
but  had  withdrawn  immediately  afterward  to  the  safe 
shelter  of  home,  alarmed  by  the  shouts  and  cries  of 
the  turbulent  multitude.  That  he  who  had  brought 
such  joy  and  gladness  into  their  souls  was  in  any  peril 
at  the  hands  of  the  enthusiastic  villagers,  never  oc 
curred  to  them. 

"  Little  wonder  that  yonder  poor  idolaters  think 
the  man  Paul  a  god,"  Lois  had  remarked  with  a  smile, 


308  PA  UL. 

as  they  sat  in  their  little  garden,  the  late  afternoon 
sunshine  lying  warm  and  pleasant  about  them.  "  But 
he  will  teach  them  all  things  in  the  days  to  come." 

An  hour  later  they  stood  weeping  about  his  motion 
less  body,  who  was  truly  what  the  villagers  had  de 
clared,  a  messenger  of  the  Most  High.  "  Bring  him 
to  my  house,"  whispered  Lois,  as  he  began  to  show 
signs  of  life.  "  It  is  near  the  gate  ;  no  one  will  see." 

And  there  through  the  night  they  ministered  to  him, 
binding  up  his  wounds,  and  pouring  upon  his  bruised 
spirit  the  wine  and  oil  of  affection  and  sympathy,  which 
he  so  sorely  needed. 

As  the  mists  of  pain  cleared  away  from  before  his 
vision,  he  became  conscious  of  the  face  of  the  lad 
Timothy,  luminous  with  love  as  the  face  of  an  angel ; 
the  soul  of  the  lonely  man  went  out  toward  him. 

"  My  son,"  he  said,  calling  him  to  his  side,  "  dost 
thou  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  who  died  upon 
the  cross  for  our  redemption,  and  for  whose  name  I 
also  have  tasted  death  this  day  ?" 

"  I  do  believe,  and  with  all  my  heart,"  replied  the 
lad,  sinking  to  his  knees  beside  the  couch. 

"  Then  do  thou  lay  fast  hold  on  eternal  life,  where- 
unto  thou  art  also  called,  and  the  Lord  keep  and  bless 
thee  in  all  thy  ways  from  this  time  forth,  even  forever." 

In  the  gray  light  of  the  early  dawn,  he  called  them 
all  about  him.  "We  must  be  going,"  he  said,  "for 
the  day  is  at  hand ;  it  must  find  us  many  miles  from 
this  place." 

"But  thou  art  not  able  to  travel,"   cried  Lois  in 


THE  CALLING  OF  TIMOTHY.  309 

dismay.  "  Surely  thou  wilt  tarry  with  us  till  thou  art 
recovered  of  thy  wounds." 

"  I  can  do  all  things  through  Christ  that  strength 
ened!  me,"  he  replied  gravely.  Then  he  prayed  with 
them  and  blessed  them.  "  We  shall  be  with  you  again 
before  many  days,"  he  said  as  he  bade  them  farewell, 
"  for  if  God  wills,  we  shall  return  to  all  the  cities 
wherein  we  have  preached  the  gospel,  that  we  may 
comfort  and  confirm  them  which  have  believed." 

The  two  women  and  the  lad  stood  in  the  morning 
twilight,  their  wet  eyes  fixed  upon  the  retreating  figures 
of  the  travelers  ;  the  wounded  man  limped  painfully 
as  he  walked  ;  at  the  sight  the  tears  of  the  women 
streamed  forth  afresh. 

"  Alas  !"  sobbed  Eunice,  "  he  will  die  by  the  way 
side." 

But  Timothy's  face  shone.  "  I  love  him,"  he  mur 
mured.  "  I  shall  always  love  him." 


310  PAUL. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

FROM  JERUSALEM  TO  GALATIA. 

MORE  than  three  years  have  elapsed  since  the 
fickle  inhabitants  of  Lystra  first  worshiped, 
then  stoned  the  man  who  sought  to  turn  them  from 
death  unto  life.  Three  years  of  tireless  labor,  in  Antioch 
first,  where  the  church  increased  mightily  from  month 
to  month,  until  there  came  into  their  midst  certain  men 
from  Judaea  who  declared  that  the  foreign  converts 
must  comply  with  the  laws  of  Moses  ;  that  they  must 
become,  in  effect,  Jews. 

"  Uncircumcised,  unclean,  eaters  of  the  forbidden 
beast,"  they  thundered,  "  unless  ye  obey  the  cere 
monial  laws,  ye  are  accursed." 

"  Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the 
law,"  answered  Paul  steadily.  "  No  man  is  justified 
by  the  law  in  the  sight  of  God.  If  righteousness  come 
by  the  law,  then  Christ  is  dead  in  vain." 

And  when  the  discussion  waxed  hot  between  them, 
Paul  and  Barnabas  went  up  to  Jerusalem  and  there 
called  that  memorable  council  of  the  apostles  and 
elders,  in  which  it  was  determined,  after  much  delibera 
tion,  that  the  heavy  yoke  of  Judaism  should  not  be 
laid  upon  the  neck  of  the  Gentiles,  since  if  they  were 
to  be  saved  at  all  it  must  be  through  the  grace  of  the 


FROM  JERUSALEM  TO  GALATIA.  311 

Lord  Jesus.  This  was  a  decision  fraught  with  the  most 
tremendous  consequences  to  all  Christendom,  a  decision 
assailed  again  and  again  by  the  persistent  adherents  of 
Judaism,  who  even  traveled  about  from  place  to  place 
in  the  steps  of  the  apostle,  striving  to  quench  the  pure 
light  of  faith  beneath  the  incubus  of  the  law. 

"  False  brethren,"  Paul  calls  them  bitterly,*  "  who 
came  in  privily  to  spy  out  our  liberty  which  we  have 
in  Christ  Jesus,  that  they  may  bring  us  into  bondage." 

Even  Peter,  who  was  received  by  the  church  at 
Antioch  with  all  gladness  and  singleness  of  heart, 
yielded  to  the  subtle  influence  of  these  men. 

"When  Peter  came  to  Antioch, "f  wrote  Paul  after 
ward  to  the  converts  in  Galatia — who  had  also  been 
thrown  into  great  distress  and  confusion  by  visits  from 
these  same  Judaisers,  "  I  withstood  him  to  the  face, 
because  he  was  worthy  of  blame ;  for  before  the 
coming  of  certain  brethren  from  James,  he  was  in  the 
habit  of  eating  with  the  Gentiles,  but  after  they  came, 
he  began  to  draw  back  and  to  separate  himself  from 
them  for  fear  of  these  brethren.  And  he  was  joined 
in  his  dissimulation  by  the  rest  of  the  Jews  in  the 
church,  so  that  even  Barnabas  was  drawn  away  with 
them. 

"  But  when  I  saw  that  they  were  walking  in  a 
crooked  path,  and  forsaking  the  truth  of  the  glad- 
tidings,  I  said  to  Peter  before  them  all :  If  thou  being 
born  a  Jew,  art  wont  to  live  according  to  the  customs 
of  the  Gentiles,  how  is  it  that  thou  wouldst  compel 

*  Galatians  ii.,  4.  f  Galatians  ii.,  11-17. 


312  PAUL. 

the  Gentiles  to  keep  the  ordinances  of  the  Jews  ?  We 
are  Jews  by  birth  and  not  Gentiles  ;  yet  because  we 
know  that  a  man  is  not  justified  by  the  law,  we  have 
put  our  faith  in  Christ  Jesus,  that  we  might  be  justified 
by  faith  in  Christ ;  for  by  the  works  of  the  law  shall 
no  flesh  be  justified." 

Justified  by  faith  in  Christ.  How  the  words  must 
have  smitten  the  proud  impulsive  heart  of  Peter. 
Surely  the  vision  of  that  night  in  the  palace  of  the 
high  priest,  and  his  blasphemous  denials  of  the  Mas 
ter  ;  of  the  look  in  the  eyes  of  that  Master,  as  "  he 
turned  and  looked  upon  Peter,"  must  have  come  back 
to  him  then,  and  with  it  the  solemn  memory  of  the 
thrice-repeated  question,  "  Simon,  son  of  Jonas,  lovest 
thou  me  ?"  and  the  thrice-repeated  admonition,  "  Feed 
my  sheep." 

Afterward  we  find  him  writing  "  to  the  strangers* 
scattered  throughout  Pontus,  Galatia,  Cappadocia,  Asia 
and  Bithynia  "  such  words  as  these.  "  Blessed  be  the 
God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which 
according  to  his  abundant  mercy  hath  begotten  us 
again  unto  a  lively  hope  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus 
Christ  from  the  dead,  to  an  inheritance  incorruptible, 
undefiled,  that  fadeth  not  away,  reserved  in  heaven  for 
you.  That  the  trial  of  your  faith,  being  much  more 
precious  than  gold  that  perisheth,  though  it  be  tried 
with  fire,  might  be  found  with  praise  and  honor  and 
glory  at  the  appearing  of  Jesus  Christ ;  whom  having 
not  seen,  ye  love,  rejoicing  with  joy  unspeakable  and 

*  Strangers,  i.e.  Gentiles. 


FROM  JERUSALEM  TO  GALATIA.  313 

full  of  glory ;  receiving  the  end  of  your  faith,  even 
the  salvation  of  your  souls. 

"  Feed  the  flock  of  God  which  is  among  you,  and 
when  the  chief  shepherd  shall  appear,  ye  shall  receive 
a  crown  of  glory  that  fadeth  not  away.  Be  subject 
one  to  another,  and  be  clothed  with  humility  ;  for  God 
resisteth  the  proud,  and  giveth  grace  to  the  humble. 
And  the  God  of  all  grace,  who  hath  called  us  unto  his 
eternal  glory  by  Jesus  Christ,  after  that  ye  have  suf 
fered  awhile,  make  you  perfect,  establish,  strengthen 
and  confirm  you.  To  him  be  glory  and  dominion  for 
ever  and  ever.  Amen."* 

After  those  days  Paul  said  to  Barnabas,  "  Let  us  go 
again  and  visit  our  brethren  in  every  city  where  we 
have  preached  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  see  how 
they  do." 

"  I  will  go  with  thee  gladly,"  Barnabas  replied ;  "  and 
let  us  take  with  us,  I  pray  thee,  my  kinsman  Mark, 
since  we  shall  have  need  of  him  in  our  labor." 

"  I  think  it  not  good  to  take  him  with  us,"  said  Paul 
decidedly,  "  since  he  left  us  in  the  midst  of  our  work 
at  Pamphylia."  And  to  this  opinion  he  adhered 
despite  the  arguments  and  entreaties  of  Barnabas. 
"  Go  thy  way,"  he  said  at  length,  "since  we  may  not 
agree  in  this  matter,  and  I  also  will  go  mine." 

So  Barnabas  took  Mark,  and  sailed  unto  Cyprus, 
and  Paul  chose  Silas  and  departed  to  Syria,  being 
recommended  by  the  brethren  unto  the  grace  of  God. 

As  for  John  Mark,  he  was  both  sorry  and  ashamed 

*  Selections  from  I.  Peter. 


314  PAUL. 

because  that  he  had  brought  about  a  separation 
betwixt  the  two  friends,  a  separation  which  proved  to 
be  a  lasting  one,  since  Paul  and  Barnabas  never  again 
labored  together. 

"  I  will  prove  to  him — God  helping  me,  that  I  am 
not  altogether  unprofitable  in  the  Master's  service," 
cried  the  young  man,  his  face  glowing  with  honest 
shame,  as  he  heard  the  sentence  pronounced  upon  him 
by  the  uncompromising  apostle. 

He  kept  his  word  ;  in  after  years  we  find  him  the 
energetic  self-denying  companion  of  Peter  in  his  great 
work,  the  author  of  the  gospel  bearing  his  name, 
and  Paul  himself  writes  of  him  to  the  church  at 
Colossae,  "  If  Mark  comes  to  you,  receive  him  ;  he  is 
one  of  my  fellow-workers  unto  the  kingdom  of  God, 
which  has  been  a  comfort  unto  me." — And  again  in 
his  old  age  from  the  Roman  prison,  to  Timothy, 
"  Bring  Mark  with  thee ;  for  he  is  profitable  to  me  for 
the  ministry." 

Through  Syria  and  Cilicia  Paul  and  Silas  traveled, 
diligently  confirming  the  churches.  At  Lystra  they 
came  once  more  to  the  house  of  Lois  and  Eunice. 
The  lad  Timothy  was  a  lad  no  longer.  He  had  grown 
in  grace  and  in  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  Jesus  as 
well  as  in  stature,  and  as  Paul  taught  the  people  in  the 
village  market-place,  he  came  upon  more  than  one 
evidence  of  the  work  of  the  young  disciple.  At  Derbe 
also,  the  neighboring  town,  and  in  Iconium  forty  miles 
away,  he  found  Timothy  "well  reported  of"  by  all 
the  brethren. 


FROM  JERUSALEM  TO  GALATIA.  315 

"  Wilt  thou  give  this  thy  son  to  the  ministry  of  the 
Lord?"  he  asked  Eunice. 

And  the  widow  with  wet  eyes  made  answer.  "  If 
the  Lord  hath  called  my  son,  who  am  I  that  I  should 
withstand  him." 

So  Timothy  was  ordained  before  the  whole  church  ;* 
the  elders  and  Paul  himself  solemnly  laying  their  hands 
upon  his  head.  From  that  time  he  was  to  Paul  the 
faithful  companion  of  all  his  wanderings.  "  Mine  own 
son  in  the  faith,"  he  calls  him.  "  My  dearly-beloved 
son,"  whom  without  ceasing  he  henceforth  remembers 
in  his  prayers  night  and  day.f 

Not  many  days  afterward  the  three  set  forth  on  their 
journey  through  the  cities,  making  known  to  each 
church  the  decision  of  the  apostles  and  elders  at  Jeru 
salem  concerning  the  law  of  Moses. 

InGalatia — through  which  they  had  purposed  to  pass 
without  tarrying,  they  were  forced  to  remain  for  several 
months  because  of  a  grievous  sickness  which  befell 
Paul,  a  fresh  piercing  of  his  tortured  flesh  with  that 
thorn  of  suffering,  concerning  which  he  once  wrote  to 
the  Corinthians,  "  There  was  given  me  a  thorn  in  the 
flesh,  the  messenger  of  Satan  to  buffet  me,  lest  I 
should  be  exalted  above  measure.  For  this  thing  I 
besought  the  Lord  thrice  that  it  might  depart  from  me. 
And  he  said  to  me,  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee  ;  for 
my  strength  is  made  perfect  in  weakness." 

And  to  the  Galatian  church  which  he  founded  in 
the  midst  of  his  sufferings  he  wrote,  "  Ye  have  never 

*  I.  Tim.  iv.  14.  f  II.  Tim.  i.  2-5. 


316  PAUL. 

wronged  me ;  on  the  contrary,  although  it  was  sick 
ness  as  ye  know — which  caused  me  to  preach  the  glad- 
tidings  to  you  at  my  first  visit,  yet  ye  neither  scorned 
nor  loathed  the  bodily  infirmity  which  was  my  trial ; 
but  ye  welcomed  me  as  an  angel  of  God,  yea,  even, 
as  Jesus  Christ  himself.  What  blessedness  was  yours 
then ;  and  I  bear  you  witness  that  if  it  had  been  pos 
sible,  ye  would  have  plucked  out  your  own  eyes  and 
given  them  to  me."* 

Because  of  these  words  there  be  many  who  think 
that  this  infirmity,  this  "  thorn  " — this  "  sharp  stake," 
ever  and  anon  driven  deeper  into  the  quivering  flesh 
of  the  sufferer,  was  that  terrible  inflammation  and  ulcer- 
ation  of  the  eyes,  which  is  still  the  scourge  of  the  coun 
tries  wherein  Paul  labored.  Be  this  as  it  may,  God's 
grace  was  sufficient,  and  his  strength  was  manifested 
in  the  weakness  of  his  servant,  '  while  he  painted,  as  it 
were,  visibly  and  large  the  picture  of  Jesus  Christ 
crucified,'  before  the  eyes  of  the  heathen  Galatians.f 
Many,  indeed,  both  of  Jews  and  Greeks,  men  and 
women,  freedmen  and  slaves,  J  lifted  their  weary  eyes 
and,  looking  away  from  themselves  and  their  sins  to 
Jesus  the  author  and  finisher  of  the  faith,  were  saved. 

*  Gal.  iv.  13-15.  f  Gal.  iii.  i.  J  Gal.  iii.  27,  28. 


IN  PHILIFFI.  317 


CHAPTER   XXXI. 

IN    PHILIPPI. 

LEAVING  Galatia,  the  travelers  came  at  length  to 
the  classic  city  of  Troas  ;  here  Luke  of  An- 
tioch,  "the  beloved  physician,"  joined  them;  from 
henceforth  to  be  almost  uninterruptedly  the  companion 
of  the  great  apostle,  the  chronicler  of  his  journeys, 
his  labors,  his  sufferings  and  his  imprisonments. 

In  Troas  also  as  they  tarried  awhile — uncertain 
which  way  they  must  go,  since  they  had  been  pre 
vented  from  carrying  out  their  plan  of  preaching  in 
Asia  and  Bithynia — there  came  to  Paul  a  vision  in  the 
night.  It  seemed  to  him,  lying  upon  his  bed,  that  he 
saw  standing  by  his  side  the  figure  of  a  man,  clad  in 
the  full  panoply  of  a  Roman  soldier,  and  as  he  looked 
at  the  appearance  in  wonder,  the  figure  raised  its  hands 
beseechingly  and  cried  out,  "  Come  over  into  Macedo 
nia  and  help  us  !" 

"Assuredly  gathering,"  writes  Luke  simply,  "that 
the  Lord  had  called  us  to  announce  the  glad-tidings 
there,  we  immediately  sought  to  go  into  Macedonia." 

A  vessel  was  found  in  the  harbor  of  Troas  on  the 
point  of  sailing  for  Neapolis,  and  upon  this  the  party 
of  four,  Paul,  Silas,  Timothy  and  Luke,  embarked  ; 
the  south  wind  drove  them  rapidly  upon  their  course 


318  PAUL. 

betwixt  Tenedos  and  the  mainland,  past  Imbros,  till 
evening  found  them  anchored  for  the  night  beneath 
the  towering  peaks  of  Samothrace ;  from  thence  on  the 
morrow  their  course  lay  northwest  to  their  destined 
port,  Neapolis.  Nine  miles  distant,  and  connected 
with  Neapolis  by  a  paved  road,  lay  the  Roman  mili 
tary  colony  of  Philippi.  And  thither  after  some  anx 
ious  consultation  the  travelers  made  their  way,  through 
the  mountain-pass  of  Pangaeus,  across  the  fertile  rose- 
decked  plains  to  "the  place  of  fountains,"  where 
Philip,  the  father  of  Alexander,  first  set  a  garrison  to 
protect  his  frontier  against  the  Thracian  mountaineers. 
Where  Brutus  and  Cassius,  their  hands  red  with  the 
blood  of  Caesar,  had  marshaled  their  legions  against 
Augustus,  escaping  his  victorious  sword  only  by  ig 
nominious  flight  into  that  dim  land  of  shadows, 
whither  no  earthly  vengeance  may  pursue  its  prey. 

Amid  the  bustle  and  stir  of  this  little  city,  which  the 
colonists,  proud  of  their  Roman  origin,  had  made  as 
nearly  as  possible  like  the  eternal  Mother  of  Cities, 
with  its  theatres,  baths,  palaces,  temples,  and  magnifi 
cent  private  dwellings,  the  new-comers  passed  a  few 
quiet  days.  They  found  no  synagogue  dedicated  to 
the  worship  of  Jehovah  among  the  marble  temples  of 
the  heathen  deities  ;  in  the  busy  market-places  and  on 
the  street  corners  they  came  upon  no  faces  bearing 
the  sign  manual  of  Israel. 

"If  there  be  any  in  this  place  who  worship  God," 
said  Paul  at  length,  "  we  shall  find  them  by  the  river 
side,  where  prayer  is  wont  to  be  made." 


IN  PHILIPPL  319 

So  they  passed  out  of  the  city  through  the  massive 
gates,  recently  granted  to  the  colony  by  Claudius, 
upon  which  the  workmen  were  still  busily  employed, 
and  turned  their  steps  in  the  direction  of  the  river 
Gangites,  which  rushed  between  its  banks  with  all  the 
headlong  impetuosity  of  a  mountain  torrent.  Not  far 
from  the  paved  causeway  which  led  to  the  river,  they 
found  as  they  had  hoped  the  little  prayer-house,  or 
proseucha,  a  temporary  structure  open  to  the  sky  and 
fronting  directly  upon  the  river. 

A  few  women  crouched  within  the  humble  walls  of 
the  place,  their  heads  bowed,  their  somber  mantles 
drawn  closely  about  their  faces  ;  if  they  prayed  at  all 
it  was  in  silence  and  sadness,  as  indeed  women  are 
wont  to  pray.  Something  in  the  aspect  of  these 
lonely  veiled  figures  touched  the  heart  of  Paul,  "  We 
will  speak  with  them,"  he  said. 

So  they  sat  down,  all  four,  and  Paul  in  the  simplest 
language  began  to  speak  of  the  glad-tidings.  As  he 
told  the  story  of  the  wonderful  sinless  life  spent  in 
far-away  Judaea,  of  the  yielding  up  of  that  life  on  the 
cross,  of  the  mysterious  resurrection  and  ascension, 
one  by  one  the  bowed  heads  were  raised,  the  shroud 
ing  veils  pushed  aside,  as  if  their  wearers  feared  to 
lose  a  syllable  of  what  was  being  spoken.  And  when 
at  last  the  inspired  speaker  declared  that  through 
faith  in  this  Jesus  the  sins  of  past  years  might  be  for 
given,  that  through  his  death  the  bitterness  of  the 
grave  was  overpast,  and  the  pure  fountain  of  life  ever 
lasting  unsealed  in  the  arid  desert  of  this  present  life, 


320  PAUL. 

that  whosoever  would  might  take  freely,  the  silent  lips 
broke  forth  into  alleluias. 

"  O  Lord,  thou  art  my  God  !"  cried  a  tall  stately 
woman,  springing  to  her  feet.  "  I  will  exalt  thee,  I 
will  praise  thy  name  ;  for  thou  hast  done  wonderful 
things  !  Behold,  I  believe  with  joy  the  words  that 
thou  hast  spoken,  for  my  heart  beareth  me  witness 
that  they  be  true  words." 

So  did  it  please  God  to  send  his  messengers  to  a 
handful  of  faithful  women,  who  alone  in  all  the  gay 
city  of  Philippi  remembered  the  Sabbath ;  and  so  it 
came  to  pass  that  the  first  person  to  confess  Christ  on 
European  soil  was  a  woman,  a  humble  seller  of  dye- 
stuffs. 

"  I  am  not  a  Jewess,"  she  said  meekly,  when  ques 
tioned  by  the  apostle.  "  I  was  born  in  the  city  of 
Thyatira,  in  the  province  of  Lydia,  which  name  also  I 
bear.  Many  years  ago  did  I  forsake  the  gods  of  my 
fathers,  for  I  was  persuaded  that  the  Jehovah  of  the 
Jews  was  the  only  true  God.  Yet  have  I  found  the 
laws  of  their  religion  a  grievous  burden,  since  it  hath 
seemed  not  possible  to  observe  them  all  perfectly,  and 
by  reason  of  one  failure  all  is  lost — for  so  I  was 
taught." 

When  all  the  fulness  of  the  glorious  glad-tidings 
had  been  explained  to  her,  she  gladly  consented  to  be 
baptized. 

"  I  and  my  household,"  she  said  simply,  "  for  I 
have  many  hand-maids  and  slaves,  who  also  labor  in 
my  house  preparing  the  precious  dye-stuffs  of  purple 


IN  PHILIPPL  321 

and  crimson,  these  have  I  instructed  in  the  fear  of 
Jehovah,  so  that  they  worship  no  other  god.  If  the 
Lord  Jesus  will  receive  me,  he  will  surely  receive 
them." 

So  the  woman  Lydia  was  baptized  with  her  house 
hold,  and  afterward  she  asked  of  the  strangers  where 
they  were  lodging,  and  when  they  told  her  of  the 
place — a  humble  one  truly  and  in  a  mean  part  of  the 
city,  she  urgently  besought  them,  "  If  ye  have  judged 
me  to  be  faithful  to  the  Lord,  come  into  my  house 
and  abide  there." 

And  since  Jesus  himself  had  bidden  his  disciples 
abide  with  them  that  were  worthy,  in  whatsoever  town 
or  city  they  might  tarry  to  proclaim  the  glad -tidings, 
they  went  to  the  house  of  Lydia  and  remained  there, 
and  their  "peace  came  upon  it,"  according  to  the 
promise. 

On  this  same  Sabbath  morning  in  quite  another  part 
of  Philippi,  a  young  girl  sat  flat  upon  the  ground  in 
one  corner  of  a  squalid  courtyard.  The  sun  shone 
hot  upon  her  uncovered  head,  but  she  seemed  not  to 
notice  it ;  her  dull  protruding  black  eyes  were  fixed 
upon  a  swarm  of  flies,  which  darted  noiselessly  back 
and  forth  in  the  dazzling  light  with  the  strange  unceas 
ing  energy  of  shuttles  thrown  by  viewless  hands  in 
some  loom  of  fate.  Now  and  again  she  waved  her 
lean  brown  hands  before  her  face  with  a  short  sharp 
cry. 

From  the  low-ceiled  room  on  the  left  of  the  yard 
came  sounds  of  loud  laughter  and  the  clinking  of  cups 

21 


'322  ;    PAUL. 

and  'dishes  ;  presently '  a  'woman '  bearing  a  platter 
heaped  with  food  stepped  out  into  the  court. 

"  Mara  !""she  called  sharply,  "  come  and"  eat." 

The  girl  did  not  stir,  and  with  a  muttered  oath  the 
woman  strode  up  to  her '  and  shook  her  roughly. 
"  Devil-possessed  !"  she  said  angrily.  "  Art  thou  also 
deaf  and  blind  ?  come  eat,  I  say." 

With  a  deep  sigh  the  unfortunate  girl  pushed  back 
the  tangled  black  hair  which  hung  about  her  face, 
then  her  eyes  fell  upon  the  platter ;  without  a  word 
she  snatched  it  out  of  the  woman's  hand  and  began 
to  devour  the  contents  greedily,  moaning  and  snarling 
like  an  animal  as  she  ate. 

"  Beast,"  grunted  the  woman,  spurning  her  con 
temptuously  with  her  bare  foot. 

A  couple  of  red-faced  men  now  sauntered  out  into 
the  courtyard ;  one  of  them  carried  a  short  whip  of 
braided  thongs  in  his  hand,  he  snapped  it  playfully  in 
the  air  as  he  approached  the  girl.  She  sprang  up 
shrieking. 

"  No,  no,  no,  master !  do  not  beat  me,  I  will  obey. 
I  am  coming — I  am  coming  !  Yes,  I  see — many — - 
many  things ;  I  will  tell  thee  all,  good  master — kind 
lady." 

The  man  with  the  whip  burst  into  a  loud  laugh. 
"Ah,  thou  young  she-devil,"  he  growled,  "thou  dost 
know  thy  master  at  last ;  come,  bestir  thyself,  'tis  time 
we  were  moving  ;  and  mind  thou  speak  up  loud  to-day, 
we'll  have  none  of  your  dumb  fiends." 

The  girl's  eyes  were  blazing  now.     "Ay,  come!" 


jy  PHILIPPI.  323 

she  cried  wildly.  "  No  dumb  fieflds^but  wheels  that 
turn  and 'turri;  and  'waters  that  roar,  and  fire  that  burns 
-^-burns !" 

"  She  hath  a  good  spirit  to-day !"  said  the  second 
man,  thrusting  his  tongue  into  his  cheek  and  winking 
at  the  woman,  who  stood  with  her  arms  akimbo  staring 
at  the  demoniac. 

"  Get  you  along  with  her  then ;  if  she  failed  to 
bring  in  a  good  bit  of  gold,  think  you  that  I  would 
have  her  about? — the  filthy  beast."  The  woman 
stooped  and  began  to  gather  up  the  fragments  of  food 
which  the  girl  had  dropped  in  her  fright,  while  the 
two  men  driving  the  hapless  mad  creature  before  them 
set  off  down  the  street  at  a  good  pace. 

"Worshipful  lords  and  beauteous  ladies!"  they  bel 
lowed  as  they  tramped  along.  "  Come  one,  come  all, 
and  learn  the  future  from  the  lips  of  the  divine  proph 
etess,  Mara !  More  wonderful  than  the  oracle  at 
Delphi,  the  heaven-inspired  Mara !  Hast  thou  lost 
anything  ?  Mara  can  reveal  its  hiding  place !  Art 
thou  in  doubt  about  to-morrow's  ventures  ?  Mara 
can  counsel  thee !  Art  thou  ill  ?  Mara  can  cure 
thee  !" 

And  so  for  long  hours  they  wandered  up  and  down 
the  streets,  stopping  now  and  again  at  the  beck  of  the 
idle  or  credulous  ;  a  sly  flourish  of  the  dreaded  whip 
causing  the  demented  girl  to  pour  forth  a  torrent  of  rav 
ings,  which  her  masters  cunningly  interpreted  to  suit  the 
case  in  hand.  Toward  evening  as  they  passed  through 
the  main  avenue  of  the  town  they  came  upon  a  group 


324  PA  UL. 

of  men  and  women  who  were  passing  out  at  the  river 
gate.  Something  that  a  tall  woman  in  their  midst  was 
saying  earnestly  to  her  companion  caught  the  quick 
ear  of  the  demoniac. 

"  Servants  of  the  Most  High  God !"  she  shrilled, 
"  which  show  unto  us  the  way  of  salvation  !  Servants 
of  the  most  high  God — which  show  unto  us  the  way 
of  salvation  !"  And  this  saying  she  repeated  again 
and  again,  tearing  at  her  streaming  hair  with  frantic 
energy.  A  crowd  quickly  gathered  to  the  spot,  from 
which  the  unprincipled  owners  of  the  girl  proceeded 
to  reap  a  goodly  harvest  of  copper  and  silver  coins. 

"  By  Bacchus  !"  growled  one  of  them  as  they  made 
their  way  homeward  long  after  nightfall.  "  Fortuna 
hath  favored  us  richly  to-day  ;  now  that  I  bethink  me, 
I  have  seen  those  fellows  before  ;  Jews  clearly  enough 
— cunning  rogues,  but  not  more  cunning  than  our  little 
treasure  here,  hey,  Mara?" 

The  girl  shuddered  as  the  man  laid  his  hand  upon 
her  shoulder,  "Servants  of  the  most  high  God,"  she 
muttered  brokenly,  "  Servants  of  the  most  high  God  !" 

"  Yes,  yes,  my  pretty,  now  remember  that  to-morrow 
and  we  shall  do  well." 

Not  only  on  the  morrow  but  on  many  succeeding 
days,  the  wretched  creature,  driven  by  her  masters, 
followed  Paul  and  his  company  as  they  went  to  and 
from  the  place  of  prayer,  crying  out  monotonously 
the  words  which  seemed  to  have  taken  complete  pos 
session  of  her  darkened  mind.  "  These  men  are  ser 
vants  of  the  most  high  God  !  which  show  unto  us  the 


IN  PHILIPPI.  325 

way  of  salvation."  And  the  idle  multitude  that  fol 
lowed  echoed  the  demoniac's  cry  with  foul  cursing 
and  ribald  laughter. 

When  Paul  understood  the  matter  he  was  stirred 
with  pity  because  of  the  grievous  condition  of  the  slave  ; 
turning  suddenly  he  said,  addressing  the  evil  spirit 
with  which  the  girl  was  thought  to  be  possessed,  "  I 
command  thee  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  to  come 
out  of  her." 

Immediately  the  strident  voice  faltered  into  silence, 
the  frenzied  gestures  ceased,  the  staring  eyes  softened, 
a  gentle  rain  of  healing  tears  flowed  down  the  burning 
cheeks. 

"  Mara,  Mara  !"  shouted  her  master  with  an  oath, 
snapping  the  dreaded  whip.  "  What  ails  thee,  wench  ; 
never  fear  the  whining  Jew  !" 

The  girl  looked  about  her  at  the  motley  crowd,  then 
into  the  brutal  face  of  her  owner.  "  How  came  I 
here?"  she  said  gently.  "  I  must  go  home  now." 

"  Ha,  ha  !"  yelled  a  shrill  voice  from  out  the  multi 
tude.  "  The  Jew  is  an  exorcist ;  he  has  spoiled  your 
property,  good  masters.  The  girl  is  not  worth  a 
denarius  for  your  business  from  now  on." 

"You  lie!"  shrieked  the  man  with  the  whip.  "I 
swear  by  the  immortals  that  I  will  beat  the  wench  till 
the  spirit  returns."  And  he  brought  down  the  braided 
lash  again  and  again  over  the  delicate  neck  and  shoul 
ders  of  the  girl ;  she  moaned  and  wept  piteously,  but 
there  was  no  outburst  of  the  familiar  ravings. 

"She's  done  for  assuredly,"  exclaimed  his  partner 


326  PA  UL. 

with  an  execration.  "  Let  be  ;  better  take  thy  ven 
geance  out  of  the  hide  of  yonder  accursed  Jew." 

"  Thou  hast  spoken  !"  cried  a  buxom  woman  who 
had  pushed  to  the  front,  "  Seize  the  mischief-makers, 
and  let  them  taste  of  Roman  law  !" 

With  a  fierce  yell  the  owners  of  the  slave  girl  rushed 
off  in  the  direction  of  the  prayer-house,  the  mob 
following. 

Within  the  hour  the  market-place  was  filled  with  a 
turburlent  excited  multitude,  all  agog  to  learn  the 
details  of  the  hurried  trial  and  punishment  of  the 
strangers. 

"Jews?  yes,"  said  one  of  the  owners  of  the  de 
mented  slave  girl,  as  he  elbowed  his  way  through  the 
crowd  with  an  important  air — "  accursed,  meddle 
some  beggars  !  but  they  have  had  a  lesson.  They 
will  think  twice  hereafter  before  they  thrust  their 
hooked  noses  into  another  man's  business.  A  scourg 
ing,  you  say  ?  A  sound  one,  you  may  believe,  my 
masters.  Ah,  but  it  pleased  me  to  behold  their  blood  ! 
and  now  they  be  fast  in  the  inner  prison  where  they 
may  rot  for  all  I  care."  And  he  went  his  way,  think 
ing  to  lay  his  hand  upon  the  slave,  who  had  been 
quite  forgotten  in  the  general  excitement.  "  There  be 
other  uses  to  which  she  may  be  put  if  she  has  re 
covered  her  wits,"  he  muttered  to  himself,  "  and 
property  is  property  and  must  not  be  allowed  to  go 
to  waste." 

He  did  not  find  the  girl,  that  day  nor  yet  the  day 
after.  She  had  wandered  dazed  and  weeping  through 


JiV  PHILIPPI.  327 

the  great  gates  that  led  out  to  the  river,  and  attracted 
by  the  solemn  unceasing  chant  of  the  waters  had 
made  her  way  to  a  small  roofless  enclosure  on  the 
very  brink  of  the  torrent,  here  she  sank  down  with  a 
sigh  of  relief  and  lifted  her  face  to  the  pure  distant 
heavens,  a  strange  happiness  swelling  in  her  breast. 
"God — God  !"  she  murmured  smiling.  "Servants  of 
the  most  high  God." 

"Ah,  it  is  thou?" 

She  started  and  looked  about  her,  her  breath 
coming  faster  in  her  fright.  A  young  man  with  a 
very  gentle  yet  sorrowful  look  in '  his  face  was  stead 
fastly  regarding  her.  "  I  am  one  of  them  that  were 
with  him  when  he  healed  thee,"  he  said  softly ;  then 
his  eyes  filled  with  sudden  tears,  "  I — I  fear  that  they 
have  killed  him." 

The  girl  started  to  her  feet,  "  I  must  go,"  she  said 
with  a  return  of  her  wild  tone  and  gesture.  "  If  they 
have  killed  him,  I  will  die  also." 

"  Nay,  thou  shalt  come  with  me  now — it  will  also 
please  him  best ;  the  good  Lydia  sent  me  forth  to  find 
thee." 

And  so  it  was  that  the  hapless  Mara  found  a  home, 
for  her  former  masters  were  not  unwilling  to  part  with 
a  piece  of  property  which  had  so  strangely  become 
valueless  in  their  hands,  more  especially  since  the 
charitable  dealer  in  dye-stuffs  offered  a  goodly  sum  for 
the  girl. 

These  worthies  found  themselves  in  a  most  un 
pleasant  situation  the  very  day  after  they  had  brought 


328  PAUL. 

about  the  scourging  and  imprisonment  of  Paul  and 
Silas.  The  duumvirs  had  sent  for  them  in  hot  haste. 
"Those  strangers,"  they  said  severely,  "whom  ye 
falsely  accused  in  our  presence  of  being  mischief- 
making  Jews  have  turned  out  to  be  Roman  citizens, 
whom  it  is  not  lawful  to  scourge,  as  ye  well  know  : 
now  therefore  it  is  meet  that  ye  taste  of  punishment  in 
your  own  bodies,  that  your  offence  be  not  repeated." 
So  saying,  the  magistrates  commanded  them  to  be 
thrust  into  the  inner  prison,  where  also  their  limbs 
were  made  fast  in  the  stocks,  in  the  very  spot  where 
Paul  and  Silas  had  sung  their  midnight  praises.*  And 
in  this  plight  the  miscreants  remained  many  days. 
But  Paul  and  Silas,  after  that  they  had  comforted 
them  that  believed,  departed  with  Timothy  on  their 
journey. 

*  Acts  xvi.(  25. 


A  STRANGER  IN  ATHENS.  329 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

A    STRANGER    IN    ATHENS. 

IT  was  high  noon  in  Athens.  The  wonderful 
water-clock  which  stood  in  the  midst  of  the 
Agora  declared  it,  so  did  the  unerring  finger  of  the 
sun-dial,  which  the  builders  and  makers  of  the  clock 
had  discreetly  placed  on  the  outside  of  the  beautiful 
little  structure  which  enshrined  the  mechanism,  either 
by  way  of  providing  against  possible  errors  in  the 
time-piece,  or  to  prove  to  the  doubtful-minded  the 
perfection  of  their  handiwork. 

It  being  the  proper  and  natural  time  to  eat,  Athens 
was  hungry ;  the  fruiterers  were  doing  a  driving  busi 
ness,  slices  of  cool  melon  and  clusters  of  early  grapes 
being  in  especially  brisk  demand  ;  before  the  stalls  of 
the  fleshers  and  pastry-cooks  an  impatient  crowd  was 
waiting,  while  even  the  humble  dispensers  of  plain 
barley  cakes — three  for  a  farthing,  emptied  their  flat 
baskets  once  and  again. 

A  young  man  who  wore  his  red  cap  very  much 
on  one  side,  and  carried  a  kithera  slung  over  his 
shoulder  by  a  leathern  strap,  had  eaten  exactly  nine 
of  these  cakes  besides  a  slice  of  melon  ;  it  appeared 
however  that  he  was  still  hungry,  for  he  shook  his 
head  ruefully  as  he  fingered  his  lean  purse. 


330  PAUL. 

"A  pest  on  my  importunate  belly,"  he  muttered 
with  a  frown.  "  What  then,  I  have  no  money  it  ap 
pears,  therefore  I  can  have  no  provender.  But  stay, 
there  is  more  than  one  road  to  Rome." 

He  strode  across  to  a  flesher's  stall  whereon  were 
displayed  in  tempting  profusion  roast  fowls,  great 
joints  of  beef  and  mutton,  cutlets  of  veal  and  pork, 
heaps  of  succulent  and  dewy  salads,  interspersed  with 
steaming  bowls  of  soup  thickened  with  vegetables. 
The  greedy  crowd  it  is  true  had  wrought  great  havoc 
in  this  noble  array  of  victuals,  but  there  was  still 
enough  left  to  make  a  hungry  man's  mouth  water. 

"  Look  you,  my  good  Cimon,"  quoth  the  man  with 
the  kithera,  fixing  his  bold  black  eyes  upon  the  mer 
chant,  "  Onesimus,  the  bard,  is  assuredly  not  unknown 
to  thee.  Many  a  bowl  of  pottage  have  I  eaten  at  thy 
stall.  To-day  I  would  also  eat — for  alas,  the  memory 
of  yesterday's  dinner  serves  but  to  whet  to-day's  appe 
tite — but  with  a  purse  as  empty  as  his  belly,  my  excel 
lent  flesher,  a  man  must  needs  bestir  himself;  if  music 
fail  to  bring  the  silver,  brawn  and  muscle  must  come 
into  play.  Give  me  a  bowl  of  thy  soup  there — which 
will  go  to  waste  perchance  if  I  eat  it  not,  and  in  return 
take  my  kithera  till  this  evening  when  I  shall  redeem 
it.  The  instrument  is  worth  thy  whole  stock  of  vic 
tuals  and  a  broad  piece  besides.  'Tis  bound  with 
wrought  silver,  mark  you." 

The  flesher,  who  was  after  the  manner  of  his  craft  a 
fat  red-faced  man,  merely  grunted  by  way  of  reply. 
He  reached  out  his  hand  for  the  kithera,  which  his 


A  STRANGER  IN  A  THENS.  331 

would-be  customer  readily  passed  over  to  him. 
"Hump!"  he  ejaculated,  running  his  greasy  fingers 
over  the  strings,  "  'tis  not  Athenian-made  plainly 
enough,  yet  the  tone  is  not  bad."  He  lifted  the  in 
strument  and  scanned  it  more  closely.  "  Colossae  !" 
he  exclaimed,  pursing  up  his  lips.  "  Now,  how  might 
you  have  come  by  this,  my  young  sir?" 

Onesimus  flushed  a  deep  angry  crimson  over  all  his 
face  and  neck.  "  Give  me  back  my  kithera,"  he  said 
in  a  low  tone,  eyeing  the  flesher  fiercely. 

"  Not  so  fast,  not  so  fast,  my  good  fellow ;  there 
can  be  no  harm  in  asking  a  civil  question — nor  yet  in 
answering  the  same.  Take  the  soup ;  fetch  me  a 
penny  at  sunset,  and  thou  shalt  have  thy  kithera,  not 
a  whit  the  worse  for  my  keeping."  He  laid  the  instru 
ment  aside  with  an  air  of  decision,  and  arose  to  wait 
upon  another  customer,  who  unquestionably  had 
money  to  spend,  as  the  cheerful  jingle  of  coin  in  his 
wallet  bore  witness. 

Onesimus  stood  for  a  moment  as  if  undecided,  then 
drawing  a  bowl  of  the  pottage  toward  him  with  a  some 
what  sullen  air  he  emptied  it  in  a  trice.  "  I  will  return 
at  sunset,"  he  said  shortly,  turning  on  his  heel. 

"As  you  like,"  replied  the  flesher  indifferently.  "A 
pretty  instrument  that,  good  sir,"  he  added,  address 
ing  his  latest  customer,  who  had  glanced  after  the  re 
treating  figure  of  the  musician  with  a  faint  show  of 
interest.  "  If  yonder  knave  return  not  I  shall  lose 
nothing  by  the  transaction — which,  indeed,  was  none 
of  my  choosing." 


332  PAUL. 

Being  presently  left  to  himself,  the  excellent  Cimon 
allowed  his  eye  to  wander  idly  to  the  glittering  heights 
of  the  Acropolis,  which  towered  in  majestic  grandeur 
high  above  the  great  irregular  square  of  the  market 
place.  The  white  wonder  of  the  Parthenon  was  a 
familiar  enough  sight  to  the  worthy  flesher,  who  in 
deed  had  been  born  under  its  shadow  ;  he  yawned 
wide  as  he  looked,  and  reaching  out  for  the  kithera 
proceeded  to  strum  upon  it  unmelodiously. 

Onesimus  in  the  meantime  was  striding  moodily 
along  the  busy  street  between  the  long  walls  which  led 
down  to  the  Piraeus  ;  "  If  I  can  but  get  a  couple  of 
hours  work  at  unlading,"  he  muttered,  looking  anx 
iously  at  the  clustered  galleys  which  dotted  the  placid 
waters  of  the  harbor.  "  If  I  cannot — what  then  ?  I  am 
at  all  events  no  longer  a  slave."  He  threw  back  his 
head  and  laughed  aloud,  a  harsh  unmirthful  laugh 
which  caused  more  than  one  pair  of  eyes  to  follow 
him. 

"  Yonder  knave  hath  a  merry  heart,  it  would  seem," 
observed  one  enviously. 

"  He  is  mad,  perchance,"  said  another,  who  knew 
the  world. 

The  object  of  their  surmises  still  pursued  his  way 
and  the  unhappy  tenor  of  his  thoughts.  "  No  longer 
a  slave  to  one  master,  but  a  slave  to  a  thousand 
necessities,  anxieties,  pains,  fears  and  forebodings  ;  a 
wretched  fugitive  without  a  friend,  without  a  home, 
without  a  God."  By  which  it  may  be  seen  that  One 
simus  had  also  been  diligently  studying  the  gloomy 


A  STRANGER  IN  ATHENS.  333 

page  of  worldly  experience,  and  that  he  had  found 
little  comfort  therein. 

He  had  reached  the  water's  edge  by  this  time,  but 
instead  of  pressing  forward  into  the  busy  throng  about 
the  wharves  he  leaned  up  against  a  pile  of  newly- 
unladen  merchandise  and  continued  to  stare  moodily 
at  the  incoming  and  outgoing  vessels. 

He  was  partly  aroused  from  his  abstraction  by  some 
words  which  were  being  spoken  at  his  side  in  a  deep 
resonant  voice.  "  I  have  no  further  need  of  your  good 
offices,  my  friends  ;  return  ye  therefore  to  Berea  and 
bear  my  request  to  Silas  and  Timotheus,  my  fellow- 
laborers,  that  they  come  to  me  with  all  possible  speed  ; 
I  will  await  them  here." 

Onesimus  turned  and  fixed  his  eyes  upon  the  three 
men  who  had  paused  near  his  side.  They  had  evi 
dently  just  landed  from  the  vessel  yonder  and  were 
strangers  in  the  city.  Moved  by  a  sudden  impulse, 
he  started  forward  and  bowed  low  before  them,  doffing 
his  red  cap  respectfully.  "  You  are  newly  arrived  in 
Athens,  noble  sirs  ?  Yes — it  is  so  ?  You  will  per 
haps  have  need  of  a  guide  to  show  you  lodgings, 
shops,  markets,  also  it  may  be  the  wondrous  sights  of 
the  city  ?  Shall  not  Onesimus  offer  you  his  services, 
to  whom  Athens  is  as  a  tale  that  is  told  ;  there  is  no 
one  better,  I  assure  you,  my  lords." 

The  man  who  had  first  spoken,  regarded  him  keenly 
for  a  full  moment  before  replying.  He  was  a  small 
man,  somewhat  bent  over,  as  if  from  age  or  infirmity, 
the  impression  of  age  being  still  further  confirmed  by 


331  PAUL: 

the  fad:  that  the  fringe 'of  curling' hair  which  •  mingled 
with  his  abundant  beard  was  thickly  sprinkled  with 
white."  The  grey  eyes  beneath  the  bushy  eyebrows 
were  steady  and  kind,  and  the  whole  expression  of 
the  face  genial  and 'winning.*  Onesimus  involuntarily 
repeated  his  obeisance,  although  he  had  not  failed  to 
remark  the  fact  that  the  stranger  was  wrapped  from 
the  searching  sea  wind  in  an  ample  cloak  or  dread- 
naught  which  had  unquestionably  seen  long  and  hard 
service. 

"So  thou  didst  not  remain  in  Antioch,"  said  the 
stranger  quietly. 

Onesimus  started  violently.  "  In  Antioch  ?"  he 
stammered  reddening.  "Where — how — " 

"  Didst  thou  not  fetch  me  in  thy  boat  up  the  Orontes 
some  eight  years  ago  ?" 

"Truly  I  did,"  said  Onesimus,  hanging  his  head  as 
he  recalled  his  last  meeting  with  the  man.  "  I  heard 
thee  speak  in  the  street  Singon,"  he  added,  "  but  I 
was  not  of  those  who  threw  stones  and  sticks  because 
of  what  thou  didst  say ;  I  left  Antioch  that  same  day 
because — well,  because  of  my  affairs.  Yet  I  can  show 
thee  Athens  as  well  as  another." 

"  Stand  thou  here  till  I  shall  speak  with  my  com 
panions,"  said  the  stranger  authoritatively.  "  Thou 
shalt  show  me  lodgings  presently,  and  I  will  pay  thee 
a  penny  for  thy  pains." 

*  This  description  of  the  personal  appearance  of  the  apostle 
is  taken  from  the  traditional  accounts  of  the  third,  fifth  and  sixth 
centuries.  See  also  II.  Cor.  x.,  10-16. 


A  STRANGER  IN  ATHENS.  335 

Half  in  hour  later  the  strangely-assorted  pair 
walked  slowly  up  the  long  street  which  led  from  the 
Piraeus  '  to  the  city  of  Athens.  "There  be  lodgings 
near  the  shore,"  Onesirrius  remarked,  pointing  to 'a 
labyrinth  of  narrow  streets  which  hemmed  in  the  busy 
quarters' of  the  shipping  merchants,  "cheap  lodgings," 
he  added;  with  a  sly  glance  at  the  well-worn  garments 
of  his  companion. 

The  heavy  cloak  had  been  removed  now,  and  its 
owner  carried  it  upon  his  arm.  "  I  shall  require  cheap 
lodgings,"  he  said  tranquilly,  "but  I  will  go  into  the 
city." 

Onesimus  observed  that  he  breathed  heavily  as  they 
climbed  the  long  ascent,  and  that  his  thin  face  had 
grown  quite  pallid. 

"  I  will  carry  the  cloak,"  he  said  bluntly.  "  Thou 
art  perhaps  ill." 

"  I  have  been  ill,"  said  the  stranger,  "  but  thanks  be 
to  God,  I  am  recovered." 

"Which  god?"  cried  Onesimus,  sneering  openly. 
"  'Tis  easier,  they  say,  to  meet  with  a  god  than  a  man 
in  Athens,  yet  can  I  thank  neither  god  nor  man  for 
anything.  I  may  starve,  die,  rot,  and  if  my  carcass  be 
but  thrust  from  out  the  walls  before  it  plague  the  nos 
trils  of  my  fellows,  there  is  no  one  to  waste  so  much 
as  a  thought  upon  me." 

"  If  thou  hast  so  learned  this  present  world,  my  son," 
said  his  companion,  laying  a  gentle  hand  upon  his  arm, 
"  thou  hast  done  well ;  and  thou  wilt  haply  pay  the 
more  diligent  heed  to  what  I  shall  say  to  thee  con- 


336  PAUL. 

cerning  the  God  which  is  above  all  gods — the  only  wise 
God,  eternal,  immortal,  invisible." 

"  To  whom  perhaps  this  altar  was  erected  in  times 
past,"  observed  Onesimus,  with  a  bitter  laugh. 

The  two  paused  before  an  ancient  shrine  built  of 
rough  undressed  stones,  above  which  in  characters 
but  dimly  discernible  ran  the  inscription,  "  To  AN 
UNKNOWN  GOD." 

"  Unknown  but  not  unknowable,  thanks  be  to  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  hath  revealed  to  us  the  un 
speakable  love  of  God  through  the  power  of  his  grace," 
murmured  the  stranger,  bowing  his  head. 

The  young  man  did  not  venture  for  a  time  to  break 
the  silence  in  which  his  companion  wrapped  himself  as 
in  a  garment.  Once  only  did  the  new-comer  arouse 
himself  from  his  seeming  abstraction  ;  it  was  when 
they  entered  the  famous  street  of  Tripods,  which 
sweeps  boldly  about  the  foot  of  the  Acropolis.  His 
eye  kindled  as  they  passed  between  the  seemingly 
interminable  lines  of  graceful  statues,  which  stood  like 
sentinels  guarding  the  shrines  and  temples  of  the 
Olympian  deities. 

"Are  they  not  divinely  beautiful  !"  cried  Onesimus, 
his  heart  swelling  with  all  the  pride  of  his  race.  "And 
look  you,  good  sir,  in  the  white  temple  yonder  on  the 
heights,  stands  the  Phidian  Pallas,  wrought  from  pure 
ivory,  and  robed  in  virgin  gold." 

"  Idols  all !"  exclaimed  the  stranger  in  a  tone  which 
echoed  strangely  amid  the  classic  haunts  of  immortal 
beauty.  "  Idols  all,  and  therefore  accursed." 


A  STRANGER  IN  ATHENS.  337 

Onesimus  bit  his  lip.  "  Not  only  a  Jew,"  he  mut 
tered  half  scornfully,  half  pityingly,  "but  a  mad  Jew." 

Neither  spoke  again  till  they  reached  a  narrow  and 
rather  squalid  street  which  lay  near  the  river.  "  Here 
dwell  thy  countrymen,  good  sir,"  said  the  Greek 
coldly.  "  Yonder  is  their  synagogue ;  thou  wilt 
doubtless  find  good  accommodations  hereabouts." 

He  turned  as  if  to  go,  but  his  companion  detained 
him  with  a  word.  "  Stay,  my  friend,"  he  said,  "  there 
is  somewhat  that  I  owe  thee,"  and  he  proffered  a  coin. 

Onesimus  stared  at  it  in  silence  for  a  moment,  then 
he  shook  his  head.  "No,"  he  said  decidedly,  "I 
want  no  pay  for  what  I  have  done.  Farewell."  And 
before  the  other  could  speak  again,  he  was  gone. 

Within  the  space  of  three  days  the  Agora  was  buzz 
ing  with  a  new  bit  of  gossip.  "  What  of  this  Jew — 
this  madman — this  proclaimer  of  strange  gods  ?  His 
own  countrymen  will  have  none  of  him,  say  they,  yet 
he  stands  yonder  haranguing  the  crowd  with  all  the 
assurance  of  a  philosopher."  Such  were  some  of  the 
sayings  concerning  the  '  shabby,' '  insignificant,' '  stoop- 
shouldered,'  '  hook-nosed '  Jew,  who  had  recently 
come  to  Athens. 

Certain  of  the  learned  professors,  discoursers, 
lecturers  and  philosophers  who  were  wont  to  air  their 
vapid  learning  in  the  Stoa,  shrugged  their  shoulders 
languidly  at  the  mere  mention  of  his  name,  "  Paulus," 
said  they,  "we  have  heard  somewhat  of  the  man,  a 
brawler,  a  barbarian  Jew,  akin  to,  or  one  with  Christus 
— it  matters  not.  Think  you  that  he  can  have  access 

22 


338  PAUL. 

to  a  secret  hid  from  us  ?  He  writeth,  doth  he  ? 
Well,  and  he  may  write.  O,  the  Jew  findeth  scholars  ! 
Certain  slaves,  perchance.  His  doctrines  could  be 
held  by  no  sane  man."* 

"  Look  you,"  cried  their  rivals  of  the  Epicurean 
school,  "be  he  barbarian  Jew  or  Greek — some  call 
him  Roman — 'tis  one  to  us.  We  will  hear  him  of  the 
matters  whereof  he  babbles  ;  there  is  no  other  breeze 
to  stir  the  air  to-day." 

So  half  in  earnest,  half  in  mockery  they  led  him  up 
the  rock-hewn  steps  of  the  Areopagus.  "  May  we 
know,"  they  said  with  thinly-veiled  derision,  "  what 
this  new  doctrine  whereof  thou  speakest  is?" 

Then  Paul,  standing  upon  the  projecting  platform 
which  was  known  as  the  "  Stone  of  Impudence," 
upon  which  Socrates  once  made  his  defence,  spoke 
thus  to  the  assembly. 

"  Ye  men  of  Athens,  I  perceive  that  in  all  things  ye 
are  very  religious.  For  as  I  passed  through  your 
city,  and  beheld  the  objects  of  your  worship,  I  found 
among  them  an  altar  with  this  inscription,  To  AN  UN 
KNOWN  GOD.  Him,  therefore — whom  ye  worship 
though  ye  know  him  not — declare  I  unto  you. 

"  The  God  who  made,  the  world  and  all  things  that 
are  therein,  being  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  dwelleth 
not  in  temples  made  with  hands.  Neither  is  he  served 
by  the  hands  of  men,  as  though  he  needed  anything  ; 
for  it  is  he  that  giveth  unto  every  creature  life  and 
breath,  and  all  things.  He  made  of  one  blood  every 

*  Browning,  Men  and  Women, 


A  STRANGER  IN  ATHENS.  339 

nation  of  mankind,  to  dwell  upon  the  face  of  the  whole 
earth  :  and  ordained  to  each  the  appointed  seasons  of 
their  existence,  and  the  bounds  of  their  habitation. 
That  they  should  seek  God,  if  haply  they  might  feel 
after  him  and  find  him — though  he  be  not  far  from  every 
one  of  us.  For  in  him  we  live  and  move  and  have 
our  being,  as  certain  of  your  own  poets  have  said, 

"  '  We  are  also  his  offspring.' 

"  Insomuch,  then,  as  we  are  the  offspring  of  God, 
we  ought  not  to  suppose  that  that  which  is  divine  is 
like  unto  a  thing  of  gold,  or  silver,  or  stone,  fashioned 
by  the  art  and  imagination  of  man. 

"  Howbeit,  those  past  times  of  ignorance  God  hath 
overlooked  ;  but  now  commandeth  he  all  men  every 
where  to  repent,  because  he  hath  fixed  a  day  wherein 
he  will  judge  the  world  in  righteousness,  by  that 
man  whom  he  hath  appointed,  concerning  whom  he 
gave  proof  unto  all,  in  that  he  raised  him  from  the 
dead."* 

"Hear,  hear!"  broke  in  a  mocking  voice.  "This 
unknown  god  is  a  marvel  indeed  !  He  can  raise  the 
dead  !  He  will  also  overlook  our  ignorance  !  Let  us 
worship  and  bow  down  before  his  shrine  !" 

A  burst  of  derisive  laughter  greeted  this  saying. 
The  assembly  arose  to  its  feet  as  one  man  ;  the  hear 
ing  was  at  an  end. 

"Impudent    barbarian!"     quoth    a    richly-dressed 

*  A  translation  from  a  careful  comparison  of  various  texts 
and  readings  by  eminent  authorities. 


340  PAUL. 

Athenian,  casting  a  look  of  withering  scorn  at  the 
stranger.  "  Look  at  him  as  he  stands  there  ;  it  is 
evident  that  he  has  more  to  say,  but  who  would  waste 
precious  time  in  listening  to  such  babbling  ?  Come,  let 
us  descend  to  the  Stoa ;  Apolonias  will  lecture  there 
this  morning." 

His  companion  regarded  the  speaker  with  cloudy 
brows.  "  The  man  is  no  mere  retailer  of  second-hand 
learning,  as  is  Apolonias,"  he  said  at  length  decidedly. 
"  I  shall  question  him  further  concerning  this  matter  ; 
we  have  not  given  him  a  fair  hearing." 

The  other  threw  back  his  head  with  a  sneering 
laugh.  "  Look  you,  my  friend,"  he  said  with  biting 
emphasis,  "yonder  wench  of  a  flower-girl  is  like- 
minded  with  thyself;  the  bold  hussy  is  talking  with 
the  fellow  now.  Go,  join  her  by  all  means,  and 
Athens  shall  know  by  nightfall  that  Dionysius  the 
Areopagite  and  Damaris*  the  flower-girl  are  among  the 
converts  of  the  Jew." 

Dionysius  did  not  reply  ;  he  was  already  making 
his  way  toward  the  "  Stone  of  Impudence."  His  com 
panion  looked  after  him  with  a  shrug  of  the  shoulders. 

"  It  appears  that  there  be  fools  even  in  Athens  !"  he 
remarked  with  a  grimace.  Which  indeed  was  a  true 
word. 

*  Acts  xvii.,  34.  The  Athenian  women  of  the  better  class 
lived  in  the  strictest  seclusion ;  it  seems  therefore  not  unreason 
able  to  suppose  that  Damaris  was  one  of  the  numerous  flower- 
girls  that  haunted  the  streets  and  market-places  of  the  city. 

Areopagite  is  equivalent  to  judge. 


THE  TENT-MAKER.  341 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

THE   TENT-MAKER. 

THE  tent-makers  sat  at  their  work  in  the  open 
court-yard.  There  were  three  of  them,  a 
woman  and  two  men.  They  had  been  at  work  since 
early  dawn,  but  now  the  woman  arose  from  her  place 
and  straightened  her  tall  vigorous  form.  "  Come," 
she  said  briskly,  "  let  us  rest  for  an  hour  ;  our  brother 
here  is  weary,  if  one  may  judge  by  his  face.  Two 
more  seams  to  stitch  and  we  shall  be  through  with 
this  piece  of  work."  She  pushed  aside  the  coarse 
fabric  of  goat's  hair  as  she  spoke,  thrust  the  great 
needle  into  a  fold  of  her  garment,  and  unwound 
the  protecting  bandages  of  linen  from  the  palms  of 
her  hands. 

One  of  the  men  speedily  followed  her  example, 
giving  vent  to  a  long  sigh  of  relief  as  he  stretched  his 
cramped  limbs.  "  A  mouthful  of  bread  and  cheese, 
my  Priscilla,"  he  began,  "and — "  But  the  woman 
had  already  disappeared.  "  She  knows  what  I  would 
say,"  he  remarked  with  an  air  of  content,  his  kind 
eyes  resting  upon  his  companion.  "  I  tell  thec, 
brother  Paul,  a  good  wife  is  assuredly  from  the  Lord ; 
'tis  a  pity  that  thou — "  He  stopped  short,  and  glanced 
apprehensively  in  the  direction  of  the  house,  whence 


312  PAUL. 

issued  a  lively  clatter  of  utensils.  "  She  told  me  not 
to  speak  of  this,"  he  said  cautiously,  "  but  one  cannot 
help  his  thoughts  ;  what  sayst  thou,  good  brother?" 

The  man  whom  he  addressed  pulled  his  clumsy 
needle  once  and  again  through  the  stiff  unyielding 
cloth  before  he  replied.  "  It  would  ill  become  me  to 
ask  any  woman  to  share  the  rigors  of  my  lot,  even 
were  such  a  thing  expedient  for  me.  But  thou  art 
right  to  think  with  all  affection  of  thy  wife  as  a  gift 
from  God.  Howbeit,  fail  not  to  think  oftener  of  the 
Giver  than  of  the  gift,  since  the  day  of  the  Lord  is  at 
hand." 

"  Wilt  thou  continue  to  speak  as  heretofore  in  the 
synagogue  on  the  Sabbath  days?"  said  the  other  after 
a  thoughtful  pause. 

"Assuredly,"  said  the  tent-maker  looking  up 
quickly,  "and  why  dost  thou  ask,  friend  Aquila?" 

"  There  be  murmurings  among  certain  of  the 
Jews,"  said  Aquila  hesitatingly.  "  Nothing  to  speak 
of  perhaps,  and  yet — " 

Paul  sighed  wearily,  "  Necessity  is  laid  upon  me," 
he  murmured — "yea,  woe  is  unto  me,  if  I  proclaim 
not  the  glad -tidings." 

"  'Tis  because  of  what  thou  didst  say  concerning 
the  law,"  went  on  Aquila  more  boldly.  "  Thou 
mayst  perchance  make  the  matter  right  the  next  Sab 
bath  day." 

At  this  moment  the  woman  Priscilla  came  out  from 
the  little  scullery.  "What,  working  yet?"  she  cried. 
"  Nay,  good  brother,  thou  shouldst  do  no  work  at  all 


THE  TENT-MAKER.  343 

with  thy  hands,  if  I  had  my  say.  There  be  many  of 
us  already  who  believe,  and  upon  us  should  fall  the 
burden  of  thy  bodily  maintenance — who  hast  also  given 
to  us  of  the  bread  of  heaven,  and  that  freely." 

The  sensitive  face  of  the  tent-maker  reddened, 
"Thou  hast  spoken  a  sound  word,  my  sister,"  he  said 
quietly.  "The  Lord  also  appointed  that  they  which 
preach  the  glad-tidings  should  live  thereby ;  yet  do  I 
the  rather  labor  with  my  hands  that  I  may  be  free 
from  the  reproach  of  men — free,  yet  a  servant  unto 
all,  that  haply  I  may  save  some." 

"The  Lord  reward  thee  !"  said  the  woman,  her 
clear  brown  eyes  filling  with  sudden  tears.  "  Ay,  and 
he  will  reward  thee.  But  come,"  she  added  briskly, 
"  let  us  eat,  since  we  must  again  labor ;  he  that  labor- 
eth  is  assuredly  worthy  of  his  meat." 

Six  days  out  of  the  seven  for  more  than  a  month 
the  tent-makers  had  toiled  at  their  needles  from  dawn 
until  evening.  "  Work  is  not  lacking  in  Corinth,  thanks 
be  to  Jehovah !"  said  the  good  Aquila.  And  the 
stranger  from  Tarsus  bowed  his  head  in  assent. 

On  Sabbath  days  all  three  passed  through  the  busy 
streets  of  the  great  wicked  city  to  the  synagogue, 
where  the  tent-maker,  Paul,  became  the  impassioned 
proclaimer  of  wondrous  sayings.  On  the  first  of  these 
occasions  people  contented  themselves  by  simply 
staring  curiously.  Later  certain  ones  began  the  study 
of  the  prophecies  ;  some  were  even  convinced  of  the 
truth  of  the  strange  story  of  a  crucified  Messiah. 
Others  shook  their  heads  doubtfully.  It  was  noticed 


344  PA  UL. 

with  alarm  by  the  wiseacres  that  an  unusual  number 
of  Gentiles  began  to  show  their  faces  in  the  syna 
gogue. 

None  of  these  offered  themselves  as  proselytes. 
'  They  had  come,'  they  said,  '  to  hear  the  Jew  Paulus 
tell  of  the  strange  god  who  could  bring  dead  men  to 
life  again.' 

Things  were  at  this  pass  when  one  Ben  Israel,  a 
merchant  of  Athens,  came  to  Corinth  on  business. 
He  was  known  to  be  a  reputable  man,  possessed  more 
over  of  much  substance,  and  therefore  not  unreasona 
bly  a  man  of  weight. 

"  Paul  ?"  said  Ben  Israel,  raising  his  eyebrows. 
"So  the  fellow  hath  come  hither  also." 

"  What  dost  thou  know  of  the  man  ?"  asked  one  of 
the  chief  men  of  the  synagogue,  by  name  Sosthenes. 

"  Nothing  good,  son  of  Abraham,"  replied  the  mer 
chant.  "  In  Athens  he  fortunately  gained  no  foothold 
among  the  chosen — nor  indeed  among  the  Gentiles  ; 
Athenians  are  not  easily  befooled."  The  speaker 
paused  and  drew  his  beard  through  his  fingers  with  a 
well-satisfied  air.  "  His  object,  do  you  ask  ?  It  seems 
not  over-difficult  to  discover.  Look  you,  the  man  is 
penniless,  a  fugitive,  with  a  ready  tongue  and  an  impu 
dent  air.  His  so-called  converts  are  what  ?  Chiefly 
filthy  Gentiles  ;  with  whom  also  he  eats  and  sleeps, 
though  he  professes  to  be  a  Jew.  In  Philippi,  I  am 
told,  after  stirring  up  a  tumult  among  the  malcontents, 
proselytes  and  slaves,  this  fellow  Paulus  and  another 
of  the  same  sort  who  traveled  with  him,  were  seized 


THE  TENT-MAKER.  315 

by  the  authorities  and  soundly  scourged.  At  Thes- 
salonica — I  have  this  information  from  kin  of  mine 
who  dwell  there — they  fared  little  better,  being  forced 
to  fly  the  city  by  night ;  so  was  it  also  at  Berea." 

The  next  day  it  was  found  by  the  now-thoroughly- 
aroused  Jews  that  two  coadjutors  of  the  man  Paul  had 
arrived,  both  of  whom  set  busily  to  work  to  spread 
the  new  and  pernicious  doctrine  of  a  crucified  and 
risen  Messiah.  A  stormy  scene  followed  in  the  syna 
gogue.  The  tent-maker — as  he  was  scornfully  desig 
nated  by  the  rich  Jews — seemingly  inspired  to  fresh 
zeal  by  the  arrival  of  his  companions,  delivered  a 
powerful  discourse ;  the  orthodox  Jews  replied  to  it  on 
the  spot,  bringing  all  the  thunders  of  the  law  to  bear 
upon  the  bold  apostate.  The  listeners  were  aroused 
to  a  frenzy  of  excitement,  many  weeping  aloud  and 
rending  their  garments,  while  others  shouted  "  Alle 
luia  !" 

"  Get  thee  hence,  blasphemous  liar,"  cried  Sosthenes. 
"  Thou  hast  defiled  the  house  of  Jehovah  ;  thou  hast 
spoken  abominable  words  in  the  habitation  of  the 
Most  High  !" 

The  eyes  of  the  tent-maker  flashed  living  fire. 
"  Your  blood  be  upon  your  own  heads,"  he  said, 
shaking  his  raiment  with  a  gesture  of  appalling  sig 
nificance.  "  I  am  clean  :  from  henceforth  I  will  go 
unto  the  Gentiles." 

The  despised  tent-maker  went  out  indeed  from  that 
synagogue  to  enter  it  no  more,  but  there  followed  him 
no  less  a  person  than  its  chief  ruler,  Crispus  by  name, 


316  PA  UL. 

who  was  straightway  baptized  with  all  his  household, 
and  with  him  many  others,  chiefly  Gentiles.  In  the 
house  of  the  proselyte  Justus,  who  lived  next  door  to 
the  synagogue,  these  believers  in  a  crucified  carpenter 
met  day  by  day,  and  the  tent-maker  taught  them. 
They  ate  together — making  no  secret  of  it — meats 
clean  and  unclean,  purchased  in  the  heathen  markets. 

"Abomination  of  desolation!"  wailed  the  orthodox 
Jews.  "  So  doth  the  wicked  flourish  like  the  green 
bay  !  But  he  shall  be  cut  down,"  they  added,  grind 
ing  their  teeth. 

The  tent-maker  was  human.  He  was  moreover 
feeble  in  body  and  worn  with  labor  and  suffering ;  his 
bent  form  staggered  sometimes  beneath  the  load  of 
care  and  responsibility  which  seemed  bound  upon  him. 
He  slept  little  and  prayed  much.  There  were  the 
other  little  companies  of  believers  in  distant  cities, 
exposed  to  hatred  and  persecution,  with  no  regular 
teachers,  and  no  records  of  the  blessed  life.  These 
lay  heavily  upon  his  heart ;  he  must  write  to  them. 
After  the  long  day  of  exhausting  toil,  he  pours  out 
his  heart  to  them,  Timothy,  the  beloved,  writing  down 
the  words  as  they  fall  from  his  lips. 

*  "  Paul  and  Silvanus  and  Timotheus,  to  the  church 
of  the  Thessalonians,  in  God  our  Father,  and  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ :  Grace  be  to  you  and  peace. 

"  I  give  continual  thanks  to  God  for  you  all,  and 

*  I.  Thessalonians.  From  the  translation  from  the  original 
Greek  by  Rev.  W.  J.  Conybeare.  Conybeare  and  Howson's 
Life  and  Epistles  of  St.  Paul. 


THE  TENT-MAKER.  347 

make  mention  of  you  all  in  my  prayers  without  ceas 
ing  ;  remembering,  in  the  presence  of  our  God  and 
Father,  the  working  of  your  faith,  the  labors  of  your 
love,  and  the  steadfastness  of  your  hope  in  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ. 

"  Brethren,  beloved  by  God,  I  know  how  God  hath 
chosen  you  ;  for  my  glad-tidings  came  to  you,  not 
only  in  word,  but  also  in  power,  with  the  might  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  and  with  the  full  assurance  of  belief. 
Others  are  telling  what  welcome  you  gave 
me,  how  you  forsook  your  idols,  and  turned  to  serve 
God,  the  living  and  true  ;  and  to  wait  for  his  son  from 
the  heavens,  whom  he  raised  from  the  dead,  even  Jesus 
Christ  our  deliverer  from  the  coming  wrath. 

"  For,  you  know  yourselves,  brethren,  that  my 
coming  amongst  you  was  not  fruitless  ;  but  after  I  had 
borne  suffering  and  outrage,  as  you  know,  at  Philippi, 
I  trusted  in  my  God,  and  boldly  declared  to  you  God's 
glad-tidings  in  the  midst  of  great  contention.  For  my 
exhortations  are  not  prompted  by  imposture,  nor  by 
uncleanness,  nor  do  I  speak  deceitfully.*  But  as  God 
hath  proved  my  fitness  for  the  charge  of  the  glad- 
tidings,  so  I  speak,  not  seeking  to  please  men,  but 
God,  who  proves  our  hearts.  For  never  did  I  use 

*  In  this  place  we  have  allusions  to  ths  outrageous  accusa 
tions  brought  against  St.  Paul  by  his  Jewish  opponents,  and  by 
some  even  in  the  church  itself.  He  was  charged  with  being 
unprincipled,  avaricious,  impure-  It  is  evident  from  the  Acts 
and  the  Epistles  that  among  those  in  authority  in  the  church, 
Paul  occupied  no  such  position  of  influence  as  he  holds  with  us 
to-day. 


348  PAUL. 

flattering  words,  as  you  know ;  nor  hide  covetousness 
under  fair  pretences,  God  is  witness.  .... 
Remember,  brethren,  my  toilsome  labours ;  how  I 
worked  both  night  and  day,  that  I  might  not  be  bur 
densome  to  any  of  you,  while  I  proclaimed  to  you 
the  message  which  I  bore,  the  glad-tidings  of  God. 
You  know  how  earnestly,  as  a  father  his 
own  children,  I  exhorted,  and  entreated,  and  adjured 
each  one  among  you  to  walk  worthy  of  God,  by  whom 
you  are  called  into  his  own  kingdom  and  glory: 
.  .  .  For  you,  brethren,  followed  in  the  steps 
of  the  churches  of  God  in  Judaea,  which  are  in  Christ 
Jesus,  inasmuch  as  you  suffered  the  like  persecution 
from  your  own  countrymen,  which  they  endured  from 
the  Jews,  who  also  killed  both  the  Lord  Jesus  and  the 
prophets,  and  who  have  driven  me  forth  from  city  to 
city  ;  a  people  displeasing  to  God,  and  enemies  to  all 
mankind,  who  would  hinder  me  from  speaking  to  the 
Gentiles  for  their  salvation  ;  continuing  always  to  fill 
up  the  measure  of  their  sins.  But  the  wrath  of  God 
has  overtaken  them. 

"  But  I,  brethren,  having  been  torn  from  you  for  a 
short  season  in  presence,  not  in  heart,  sought  very 

earnestly  to  behold  you  again  face  to  face 

But  Satan  hindered  me.  For  what  is  my  hope  or  joy  ? 
What  is  the  crown  wherein  I  glory  ?  What  but  your 
ownselves,  in  the  presence  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  at 
his  appearing.  Yes,  you  are  my  glory  and  my  joy. 
Therefore,  when  I  was  no  longer  able  to  forbear,  I 
determined  willingly  to  be  left  at  Athens  alone,  anJ  I 


THE  TENT  MAKER.  349 

sent  Timotheus,  my  brother,  and  God's  fellow-worker 
in  the  glad-tidings  of  Christ,  that  he  might  strengthen 
your  constancy,  and  exhort  you  concerning  your  faith, 
that  none  of  you  should  waver  in  these  afflictions. 
....  Fearing  lest  perchance  the  tempter  had  tempted 
you,  and  lest  my  labor  should  be  in  vain.  But  now 
that  Timotheus  hath  returned  from  you  to  me,  and 
hath  brought  me  glad  tidings  of  your  faith  and  love, 
and  that  you  still  keep  an  affectionate  remembrance  of 
me,  longing  to  see  me,  as  I  to  see  you — I  have  been 
comforted,  brethren,  on  your  behalf,  and  all  my  own 
tribulation  and  distress  has  been  lightened '  by  your 
faith." 

And  so  to  the  end,  with  words  of  tenderest  love,  warn 
ing,  exhortation,  pleading,  encouragement.  Comfort 
ing  them  also  with  the  comfort  wherewith  he  had  him 
self  been  comforted.  "  Be  not  afraid,"  the  Lord  had 
said  to  him  in  the  night  by  a  vision,  "  but  speak,  and 
hold  not  thy  peace.  Lo,  I  am  with  thee,  and  no  man 
shall  set  on  thee  to  hurt  thee  ;  for  I  have  much  people 
in  this  city." 

For  more  than  a  year  he  labored,  gathering  the  elect 
of  heaven  from  out  the  cesspools  of  iniquity,  from  out 
the  dust-heaps  of  ignorance  and  superstition ;  from 
among  slaves,  from  among  lost  women,  from  among 
degraded  idolaters  of  every  class. 

"  For  ye  see  your  calling,  brethren,"  he  writes  to 
them  afterward  from  Ephesus,  "  how  that  not  many 
wise  after  the  flesh,  not  many  mighty,  not  many  noble, 
are  called.  But  God  hath  chosen  the  foolish  things 


350  PAUL. 

of  the  world  to  confound  the  wise ;  and  God  hath 
chosen  the  weak  things  of  the  world  to  confound  the 
mighty ;  and  base  things  of  the  world,  and  things 
which  are  despised,  hath  God  chosen — yea,  and  things 
which  are  not,  to  bring  to  nought  things  that  are." 

To  Sosthenes  also  there  came  visions  of  a  speedy 
triumph  over  the  hated  tent-maker.  A  new  procon 
sul,  one  Gallic,  was  about  to  be  installed  over  Achaia. 
He  was  the  brother  of  the  philosopher  Seneca,  re 
puted  moreover  to  be  a  man  of  mild  and  easy  dispo 
sition. 

"  The  Roman  will  desire  to  stand  well  with  us, 
since  we  represent  no  small  share  of  the  wealth  of  the 
province,"  argued  Sosthenes.  "We  will  therefore 
lose  no  time  in  laying  this  matter  before  him." 

Accordingly,  on  the  very  day  in  which  the  new  pro 
consul  began  his  official  duties,  the  Jews  arose  in  a 
body,  seized  the  tent-maker  as  he  sat  at  his  work,  and 
dragged  him  before  the  judgment-seat  of  Gallio,  which 
was  set,  as  was  the  custom,  on  a  square  of  tesselated 
pavement  before  the  palace. 

"  Behold,  O  most  excellent  and  righteous  procon 
sul !"  cried  Sosthenes,  "we  have  brought  before  thee 
this  fellow  that  thou  mayst  pass  judgment  upon  him. 
He  teacheth  men  to  worship  God  contrary  to  the 
law."* 

*  The  Jewish  religion  was  a  religio  licita  :  i.  e.,  it  was  licensed 
by  the  Roman  government.  The  religion  that  Paul  taught,  in  so 
much  as  it  differed  from  the  licensed  Judaism,  was  therefore 
"  contrary  to  the  law." 


THE  TENT-MAKER.  331 

Gallio  surveyed  the  turbulent  crowd  with  haughty 
disdain  ;  like  other  noble  Romans  his  feeling  for  all 
Jews  was  one  of  unmixed  hatred  and  contempt.  Press 
ing  hard  after  the  noisy  complainants,  he  noticed  a 
number  of  Greeks  and  other  foreigners,  whose  faces  and 
gestures  expressed  the  strongest  excitement  and  indig 
nation.  As  for  the  accused,  he  was  merely  a  shabby 
insignificant  old  man — a  Jew  also.  It  was  evident 
that  he  would  utter  some  sort  of  a  defence  if  allowed 
to  do  so. 

The  proconsul  frowned  impatiently.  "  If  this  were 
a  matter  of  civil  wrong  or  moral  outrage,"  he  said 
with  cold  decisiveness,  "  it  would  be  reasonable  that  I 
should  listen  to  your  accusation  ;  but  if  it  be  merely 
a  question  of  words  and  names,  and  of  your  law,  look 
ye  to  it,  for  I  will  be  no  judge  of  such  matters. — 
Lictors,  clear  the  court !" 

The  accused  at  once  withdraw  with  certain  of  his 
friends,  who  had  awaited  the  decision  with  manifest 
trepidation.  The  lookers-on  cheered  them  as  they 
went  away ;  then  they  turned  their  attention  to  Sos- 
thenes  and  his  fellows,  who  were  elbowing  their  way 
through  the  crowd,  muttering  maledictions  upon  the 
head  of  the  proconsul. 

"  Ha,  Jews !"  yelled  a  Greek,  who  wore  a  red  cap 
very  much  at  one  side,  and  carried  a  kithera  slung 
over  his  shoulder.  "Jews — liars — thieves — unclean 
dogs  !  Go  home  and  eat  swine's  flesh — Go  !" 

Sosthenes  paused,  and  fixed  his  eyes  burning  with 
hate  upon  the  bold  Greek ;  he  lifted  one  shaking  hand 


352  PA  UL. 

high  above  his  head.  "  May  the  curses  of  the  living 
Jehovah — " 

But  the  mob  with  a  deafening  howl  rushed  upon 
him.  "  Wilt  thou  also  call  down  curses  upon  us?" 
they  cried  in  a  fury.  "  Nay,  let  thy  God  deliver  thee 
if  he  will."  And  they  beat  him  with  their  staves  in 
full  sight  of  the  judgment-seat. 

Gallio  observed  the  proceedings  with  a  shrug.  He 
did  not  order  his  lictors  to  interfere.  "  The  Jews  of 
Corinth  will  beware  how  they  trouble  me  in  the 
future  with  their  petty  disputes,"  he  said  languidly  to 
one  of  the  officers  of  the  guard,  who  stood  behind  his 
chair. 

There  be  those  who  affirm  that  Sosthenes  afterward 
went  to  Ephesus  that  he  might  avenge  himself  for 
that  beating  upon  the  tent-maker ;  and  that  there  God 
opened  his  eyes  to  the  truth.  Certain  it  is  that  the 
first  letter  to  the  Corinthians  begins  thus  : 

"  Paul,  called  to  be  an  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ 
through  the  will  of  God,  and  Sosthenes  our  brother, 
unto  the  church  of  God  which  is  at  Corinth,  to  them 
which  are  sanctified  in  Christ  Jesus,  called  to  be  saints, 
with  all  that  in  every  place  call  upon  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord ;  Grace  be  unto  you,  and  peace,  from 
God  the  Father  and  from  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 


A  BUSINESS  MAN  OF  EPHESUS.  353 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

A    BUSINESS    MAN    OF    EPHESUS. 

CLAUDIUS,  emperor  of  Rome  was  dead ;  poi 
soned — so  ran  the  evil  whisper,  by  his  em 
press.  There  was  no  investigation  of  the  suspicious 
circumstances  which  surrounded  his  death.  The 
young  Brittanicus,  his  lawful  heir,  with  his  sister  Oc- 
tavia,  were,  it  is  true,  overwhelmed  with  grief  and 
fear,  but  in  the  great  palace  with  its  fifteen  hundred 
courtiers  and  retainers  they  were  more  desolate  and 
helpless  than  the  meanest  slaves. 

It  was  known  that  Agrippina  Augusta,*  sixth  wife 
and  niece  of  the  emperor,  had  with  her  own  fair  hand 
taken  a  mushroom  from  the  silver  dish  set  before 
her  at  supper  by  Halotus,  taster  to  his  imperial  high 
ness,  and  with  honeyed  words  of  flattery  had  presented 
it  to  her  husband.  Shortly  after  eating  it,  the  em 
peror  was  borne  from  the  table  in  violent  convulsions 
which  terminated  his  life  within  a  few  hours.  Those 
in  high  places  merely  shrugged  their  shoulders  ;  Lo- 

*  Agrippina  was  one  of  the  daughters  of  Germanicus  and 
therefore  sister  of  Caius  Caesar;  she  was  recalled  from  banish 
ment  by  Claudius,  and  became  his  wife  after  the  death  of  the 
infamous  Messelina.  She  was  a  woman  of  the  most  abandoned 
character. 

23 


354  .  PAUL. 

custa,  the  most  skilful  poisoner  of  her  time,  yet  lived 
in  a  dungeon  of  the  palace — too  valuable  an  adjunct  to 
imperial  power  to  be  lightly  thrust  out  of  life.  It  was 
not  the  part  of  discretion  to  look  at  things  too 
closely,  and  why,  after  all,  mourn  for  a  man  who 
had  quitted  the  palace  of  the  Caesars  only  to  become 
a  god? 

Agrippina  herself  officiated  as  priestess  in  the  stately 
ceremonial  of  deification  ;  and  if  the  scarlet  stola  em 
broidered  with  pearls,  which  she  wore,  reminded  the 
beholders  somewhat  unpleasantly  of  blood,  they  had 
only  to  raise  their  eyes  to  the  beautiful  haughty  face 
above  it  to  be  dazzled  or  awed  into  forgetfulness. 
More  than  all,  Nero  was  emperor.  Nero,  young,  gay, 
genial,  beautiful  as  one  of  the  sculptured  gods.  There 
was  no  visible  stain  on  the  fair  jeweled  hands  which 
had  lifted  him  to  the  throne,  and  therefore  two  hun 
dred  millions  of  mankind  lifted  their  eyes  and  adored  ; 
adored  Claudius  dead — no  matter  how — and  enthroned 
amid  the  stately  shades  of  Caesars  long-since  departed, 
adored  Agrippina  Augusta,  the  magnificent — the  im 
perial  empress-mother,  adored  Nero,  her  son,  emperor 
of  Rome,  and  master  of  their  future  lives  and  happi 
ness. 

Reports  of  these  ominous  happenings  reached  the 
provinces  in  due  time.  Another  emperor  on  the 
throne !  this  meant  perhaps  new  governors,  new  le 
gions,  new  taxations,  new  laws,  better  possibly — or 
worse.  The  people  listened  with  commendable  pa 
tience  to  the  reading  of  the  imperial  proclamation, 


A  BUSINESS  MAN  OF  EPIIESUS.  355 

raised  a  mighty  shout  in  token  of  their  loyal  allegiance, 
then  went  about  their  business  resignedly.  Claudius 
was  dead  ;  Nero  reigned  ;  but  bread  must  be  eaten 
to-day  and  to-morrow,  and  bread  was  not  easy  to  get. 

In  the  shop  of  Demetrius,  chief  silver-smith  of  Ephe- 
sus,  work  was  going  on  briskly,  as  usual ;  Demetrius 
himself,  an  undersized,  yellow,  grim-looking  man  of 
uncertain  age  was  in  a  bad  temper — also  as  usual ;  his 
eye  traveled  impatiently  about  the  dark  crowded  room 
where  a  score  or  more  of  workmen  sat  bending  over 
their  tasks. 

"  Let  the  knaves  look  to  the  polishing  more  care 
fully  than  they  have  done  of  late,"  he  growled,  turn 
ing  to  the  overseer  who  stood  at  his  side.  "And  look 
you,  there  is  no  need  to  make  the  next  lot  quite  so 
heavy  ;  our  pilgrims  do  not  buy  the  image  of  the  sacred 
Diana  for  the  amount  of  silver  that  is  in  it,  the  gods  be 
praised." 

He  picked  up  one  of  the  finished  pieces  as  he  spoke 
and  examined  it  carefully.  It  was  a  small  but  exact 
copy  of  the  world-famous  shrine  and  image  of  the 
Ephesian  Diana,  the  original  of  which,  shrouded  from 
vulgar  gaze,  stood  in  the  dark  and  awful  adytum  of 
the  great  temple  ;  an  image  fashioned  from  some  un 
known  substance  by  the  fingers  of  the  great  father  of 
the  gods  himself,  and  dropped  down  from  unimagin 
able  realms  to  the  children  of  men  for  their  comfort 
and  healing — so  at  least  ran  the  story  of  its  origin, 
which  had  been  implicitly  believed  for  ages.  The  silver 
model  at  which  Demetrius  was  looking,  represented 


356  PA  UL. 

a  hideous  mis-shapen  figure,  swathed  like  a  mummy 
and  covered  from  head  to  foot  with  protuberances 
representing,  it  was  thought,  the  all-bounteous  breasts 
of  nature.  Upon  the  inverted  pyramid  which  formed 
a  base  for  the  shapeless  feet  were  inscribed  certain 
words  of  mysterious  import.  '  The  very  words,'  De 
metrius  was  wont  to  assure  his  patrons,  '  which  ren 
dered  the  sacred  original  of  such  wonderful  efficacy 
for  every  human  ill.' 

"Askion  —  Kataskion — Lix — Tetras  —  Damname- 
neus — Aisia,"*  he  muttered  to  himself,  his  surly  brow 
clearing. 

The  obtaining  of  these  mystic  words  had  turned  out 
to  be  a  wonderful  piece  of  good  luck,  he  reflected, 
superstitious  awe  and  greed  mingling  on  pretty  even 
terms  in  his  mind.  It  was  a  great  sum  assuredly 
which  the  rapacious  priests  yonder  had  forced  him  to 
pay  for  them  —  but  well  expended,  as  subsequent 
events  had  proven.  At  the  forthcoming  festival  of  the 
goddess  he  would  sell  hundreds — nay  thousands — of 
these  shrines.  He  was  already  a  rich  man  ;  he  would 
speedily  be  richer. 

"  Who  knows,"  he  muttered,  as  he  laid  the  image 
down,  "  I  may  be  Asiarch  yet."f 

*  See  Farrar's  Life  and  Work  of  St.  Paul,  page  360. 

f  Ten  Asiarchs  were  chosen  annually  from  among  the  wealth 
iest  citizens  of  the  chief  cities  of  Asia.  These  presided  over 
the  great  yearly  festival  held  in  Ephesus  in  honor  of  the  god 
dess  Diana,  and  upon  them  devolved  the  vast  expenses  of  the 
occasion,  but  in  return  their  nimes  were  recorded  on  coins 


A  BUSINESS  MAN  OF  EPIIESUS.  357 

After  finishing  the  inspection  of  his  shops,  the  worthy 
silver-smith  betook  himself  to  the  examination  of  his 
accounts,  an  occupation  which  proved  on  this  occasion 
to  be  even  more  satisfactory.  Profits  were  good,  silver 
was  plenty,  labor  was  cheap ;  more  than  that,  the 
worship  of  Diana  was  steadily  increasing  year  by  year. 
And  he,  Demetrius,  the  silver-smith,  had  helped  to 
bring  this  about ;  he  could  see  no  limit  to  the  dazzling 
possibilities  of  his  pious  industry  ;  the  more  shrines  he 
sold,  the  more  pilgrims  would  flock  to  Ephesus  the 
following  year,  attracted  by  the  fame  of  the  original 
heaven  wrought  image — an  image  which  Demetrius 
privately  thought  to  be  a  very  poor  production  com 
pared  with  his  own  brand-new  manufacture.  Every 
worshiper  would  carry  away  some  token  of  his  pilgrim 
age,  and  what  more  desireable  than  one  of  these  beauti 
ful  silver  shrines,  with  the  image  of  the  goddess  and 
the  sacred  words  all  complete. 

"  I  shall  certainly  be  an  Asiarch,"  repeated  Deme 
trius  triumphantly,  "  and  when  that  happens,  let  who 
will  rule  Rome  !"  He  bestowed  the  parchments  in 
his  strong  box,  and  putting  on  his  conical  cap  strolled 
out  into  the  Agora.  The  place  was  humming  like  a 
hive  of  bees,  the  shouts  of  the  hucksters  at  their  stalls, 
the  shrill  cries  of  itinerant  venders,  and  the  fitful  blow 
ing  of  flutes  which  announced  the  presence  of  some 
beardless  priest  of  Diana  mingled  confusedly  with  the 

and  in  public  inscriptions  ;  they  were  robed  in  purple  and 
crowned  with  garlands,  and  were  henceforth  regarded  as  per 
sons  of  the  highest  distinction  and  honor. 


358  PA  UL. 

clack  of  countless  tongues.  Demetrius  surveyed  the 
scene  loftily  as  if  he  already  wore  the  purple  robe  and 
laurel  wreath  of  an  Asiarch. 

"  And  what  say  you,  my  good  Demetrius,  to  the 
news  from  Rome?"  exclaimed  a  voice  at  his  side. 

The  silver-smith  turned  and  surveyed  the  speaker, 
"  My  good  Demetrius  indeed  !"  he  thought,  "  and 
from  a  beggarly  knave  like  Trophimus. ' '  Aloud  he  said 
coldly,  "  The  news  from  Rome  does  not  concern  me." 

The  man  who  had  accosted  him  laid  one  finger  at 
the  side  of  his  nose,  "  O  ho,  my  lord  Demetrius,  so 
the  wind  sits  in  the  wrong  quarter  to-day.  Well  then, 
since  the  news  from  Rome  does  not  concern  thee,  I 
know  something  that  does.  In  the  school  of  Tyrannus 
yonder,  a  learned  traveler  from  Jerusalem  is  proclaim 
ing  a  new  and  terrible  god  who  will  shortly  destroy 
the  temple  of  Diana  with  all  that  worship  her.  How 
many  silver  shrines  think  you  will  be  sold  when  that 
shall  come  to  pass  ?" 

"  From  Jerusalem !"  exclaimed  Demetrius  scorn 
fully,  "  What  care  I  for  the  witless  ravings  of  a  filthy 
Jew ;  I  have  heard  of  the  man  Sceva*  and  his  tribe 
before." 

"This  man's  name  is  Paulus,"  said  Trophimus, 
dropping  his  voice  ;  "by  the  heaven-born  Artemis,  I 
am  myself  more  than  half  convinced  of  the  truth  of 
what  he  says." 

Demetrius  looked  after  him  as  he  walked  away. 
"  Blockhead  !"  he  muttered  comtemptuously. 

*  Acts  xix.,  13-17. 


A  BUSINESS  MAN  OF  EPHESUS.  359 

On  the  opposite  side  of  the  square  stood  a  long  low 
building  with  pillared  front ;  it  was  called  the  school 
of  Tyrannus  after  the  famous  Ephesian  of  that  name 
who  had  once  instructed  a  multitude  of  devout  pupils 
within  its  walls.  Of  late  it  had  been  leased  for  longer 
or  shorter  periods  to  divers  itinerant  philosophers, 
astrologers  and  wonder-workers,  who  brimming  over 
with  real  or  imaginary  learning  had  there  harangued 
the  gaping  loafers  of  the  Agora. 

"  Fool !"  repeated  Demetrius  irritably.  "  Destroy 
the  temple  of  Diana  indeed  !" 

He  lifted  his  eyes  to  the  gleaming  walls  of  the  great 
building  which  was  the  crowning  glory  of  Ephesus  the 
magnificent,  and  one  of  the  wonders  of  the  habitable 
world,  four  times  as  great  as  the  Athenian  Parthenon, 
its  peristyle  consisting  of  one  hundred  and  twenty 
Ionic  pillars  hewn  from  Parian  marble,  its  roof  of  cedar 
supported  by  columns  of  jasper,  its  walls  enriched  by 
priceless  statues  and  paintings  by  Praxiteles,  Parhasius 
and  Appelles,  with  its  sacred  shrine  behind  the  awful 
curtain,  where  dwelt  the  heaven-wrought  image,  and 
its  inestimable  treasures  of  gold,  of  silver,  of  precious 
stones.  Demetrius  laughed  aloud  and  rubbed  his 
hands. 

"  There  is  nothing  in  heaven  above  or  in  the  earth 
beneath  that  can  shake  the  power  of  the  eternal  Diana," 
he  muttered,  "  and  praise  be  to  the  gods,  my  fortunes 
are  linked  with  hers  !"  Nevertheless  he  turned  his 
steps  in  the  direction  of  the  school  of  Tyrannus.  "  I 
will  see  for  myself,"  he  said,  "  what  this  thing  may  be." 


360  PAUL. 

There  was  a  great  crowd  about  the  door  of  the 
place ;  Demetrius  found  himself  unable  to  get  in,  but 
he  could  hear  the  tones  of  a  man's  voice,  rising  and 
falling  as  if  in  passionate  exhortation  ;  it  was  inter 
rupted  suddenly  by  a  loud  joyful  cry,  followed  by  a 
prolonged  murmur  of  excitement  from  the  multitude. 

"  For  the  love  of  the  goddess,  let  me  pass  !"  cried  a 
ragged  misshapen  woman,  wringing  her  lean  hands 
piteously  ;  "  he  has  healed  another — Nay,  I  must  get 
in," 

Demetrius  had  succeeded  in  forcing  his  way  some 
what  nearer  the  door  by  this  time  ;  he  had  made  up 
his  mind  to  see  what  was  going  on  inside. 

"  For  the  love  of  the  Christ,  let  me  pass — that  I 
also  may  be  healed,"  repeated  the  beggar  woman  ;  in 
her  desperation  she  pushed  violently  against  the  per 
son  of  the  wealthy  silver-smith. 

"  Dog  !"  he  cried,  striking  her  full  in  the  face  with 
his  clenched  fist. 

The  woman  fell  back  with  a  low  moan,  blood 
streaming  from  her  mouth.  The  crowd  burst  into  a 
loud  jeering  laugh. 

"  Ha,  good  silver-smith,  I  see  that  thou  hast  curi 
osity  as  well  as  another." 

Demetrius  turned  and  dofifed  his  cap  with  respect. 
The  man  who  had  spoken  was  Plautius,  the  owner  of 
rich  silver  mines,  and  thus  connected  with  the  craft  of 
which  Demetrius  was  master. 

"  Thou  art  a  shrewd  fellow,  Demetrius,  a  shrewd 
fellow,"  said  the  other  with  a  laugh,  "but  take  my 


A  BUSINESS  MAN  OF  EPHESUS.  3G1 

word  for  it  there  is  no  need  ;  I  have  been  within  for  a 
full  hour  and  have  heard  all  that  I  can  stomach.  The 
fellow  is  a  Jew — and  Diana  alone  knoweth  what 
besides — an  exorcist,  magic-monger,  proclaimer  of  a 
crucified  malefactor,  one  Christus,  who  also  arose  from 
the  dead.  A  mule  teaching  flies,  say  I.  Come,  a 
word  with  you  on  business." 

Thus  reassured  by  so  wise  a  man  as  the  wealthy 
Plautius,  Demetrius  straightway  forgot  the  whole 
matter.  There  were  thousands  of  chattering  cheats 
plying  their  precarious  avocations  in  Ephesus,  but 
what  did  that  matter  to  the  head  of  a  solid  and  highly- 
respectable  industry.  The  time  of  the  great  yearly 
festival  was  moreover  now  close  at  hand,  pilgrims 
were  beginning  to  flock  into  the  city  from  every  part 
of  Asia.  The  fortunate  citizens  who  had  been  chosen 
to  personate  the  gods  in  the  great  pageant,  were  already 
looked  upon  with  that  species  of  mock  adoration 
which  would  be  their  portion  for  the  month  during 
which  the  Ephesia  was  in  progress.  The  theatre  and 
stadium  were  crowded  daily  with  festive  throngs,  to 
witness  the  musical  and  oratorical  contests,  the  chariot 
races,  athletic  exhibitions,  gladiatorial  battles,  and  the 
yet  more  terrible  combats  between  men  and  wild 
beasts.* 

While  the  city  resounded  day  and  night  with  the 
loud  shrilling  of  flutes  and  jangling  of  timbrels  from 
the  gorgeous  processions  and  spectacles  which  were 
constantly  sweeping  to  the  great  temple  of  Diana, 

*  I.  Cor.  xv.,  32. 


362  PA  UL. 

while  lust  and  murder  stalked  through  the  streets 
unveiled,  while  the  herd  of  bloated  and  beardless 
priests  with  their  attendant  priestesses  shamed  the  light 
of  the  sun  with  their  nameless  abominations,  Paul,  a 
servant  of  Jesus  Christ,  called  to  be  an  apostle,  sepa 
rated  unto  the  glad-tidings  of  God,  beheld  in  this 
sickening  spectacle  of  debased  humanity  only  "a 
great  door  and  effectual  which  was  opened  unto  him." 

Toiling  late  into  the  night  at  his  humble  trade  of 
tent-making,  that  he  might  support  not  only  himself 
but  those  who  were  with  him,  by  day  he  proclaimed 
the  glad-tidings  in  the  school  of  Tyrannus,  in  the 
streets  and  market-places,  and  from  house  to  house, 
spit  upon,  reviled,  greeted  everywhere  with  hissings 
and  maledictions,  tortured  by  bodily  sufferings,  faint 
with  hunger,  parched  with  thirst,  ragged  and  footsore, 
made  as  it  were  the  filth  and  offscouring  of  the  world, 
"pilloried  on  infamy's  high  stage,"  a  spectacle  to  men 
and  angels.* 

"And  this  continued  for  the  space  of  two  years  ;  so 
that  all  they  which  dwelt  in  Asia  heard  the  word  of 
the  Lord  Jesus,  both  Jews  and  Greeks." 

During  these  years  Demetrius  has  grown  steadily 
richer  ;  he  no  longer  wears  the  conical  cap  of  a  master- 
smith,  but  affects  the  rich  and  sober  garb  of  a  wealthy 
citizen  of  leisure  ;  he  still  visits  his  work -shops  daily, 
and  looks  to  the  weight  and  finish  of  his  silver  images 
as  carefully  as  ever.  It  is  whispered  that  he  is  pos 
sessed  of  more  treasure  in  the  mysterious  and  invio- 

*  I.  Cor.  iv.,  9-13. 


A  BUSINESS  MAN  OF  EPHESUS.  363 

lable  stronghold  behind  the  veiled  shrine  of  Diana  than 
even  Plautius,  who  was  Asiarch  last  year.  As  he 
stands  in  the  door  of  his  work -shop,  occasionally 
acknowledging  with  a  haughty  wave  of  the  hand  the 
salutation  of  a  passing  acquaintance,  it  may  be  seen 
that  he  has  grown  stouter  and  sleeker  than  of  old. 

"  Demetrius,  with  his  protuberant  paunch  and  his 
sour  ugly  little  face" — Plautius  had  once  observed 
behind  his  back — "  resembles  nothing  so  much  as  one 
of  his  own  images."  And  this  irreverent  speech  had 
been  whispered  about  with  huge  enjoyment  amongst 
his  fellow-craftsmen. 

On  this  pleasant  spring  morning  the  sour  ugly  little 
face  of  the  rich  silversmith  was  sourer  and  uglier  than 
ever.  He  was  looking  at  the  crowd  which  had  been 
gathering  for  the  last  hour  in  the  market-square  in 
front  of  the  school  of  Tyrannus  ;  now  and  again  he 
muttered  something  unintelligible  under  his  breath. 
Suddenly  a  great  shout  broke  forth  from  a  thousand 
throats,  as  a  dense  cloud  of  smoke  pierced  here  and 
there  with  darting  tongues  of  flame  rolled  heavily 
upward. 

"  Fools  !"  cried  Demetrius  aloud,  grinding  his  teeth. 
"  Unspeakable  asses  !  they  will  be  burning  my  shop 
over  my  head  next !" 

"Ay,  and  so  they  will,  friend  Demetrius,"  said  a 
solemn  voice  at  his  side.  "  Repent  and  believe, 
brother,  repent  and  believe,  else  not  only  thy  house 
but  thine  own  wretched  body  shall  be  burned  with 
unquenchable  fire." 


3G4  PA  UL. 

Demetrius  spat  venomously  before  him,  his  yellow 
countenance  streaked  and  livid  with  rage.  "  And  since 
when,"  he  spluttered,  "has  Trophimus  taken  up  the 
trade  of  the  beggar  Jew  ?  I  saw  the  wretch  yester 
day,  ragged,  bare- footed,  sore -eyed,  hooted  by  a 
crowd  of  gamins  in  the  Agora." 

"  Nevertheless  he  hath  prevailed,  and  that  glori 
ously,  over  the  powers  of  darkness  which  be  at 
Ephesus,"  answered  Trophimus  steadily.  "  This 
burning  of  profane  and  wicked  books  which  thou 
seest,*  is  but  the  token  of  that  greater  triumph  over 
evil  which  shall  speedily  come  to  pass.  Know  ye  not 
that  the  day  of  the  living  God  is  at  hand  ?  That  in 
token  thereof  the  sick  are  raised  up,  the  blind  see, 
the  lame  walk,  and  they  that  mourn  rejoice  in  hope  ? 
Come,  therefore,  fetch  forth  thine  idols  and  cast  them 
also  into  the  flames,  and  of  the  ill-gotten  gains  which 
thou  hast  heaped  up  to  thyself  give  to  the  necessities 
of  the  poor ;  so  shalt  thou  be  saved  from  thy  sins,  and 
the  blessing  of  the  Lord  shall  rest  upon  thee  and  upon 
thy  house." 

Demetrius  laughed  aloud.  "  Ay  !  there's  the 
point !  '  Give  of  thy  gold  to  the  necessities  of  the 
poor.'  How  much  will  serve  thee,  my  friend  Trophi 
mus  ?  and  how  much  will  the  false  Jew,  thy  master, 
require?  Name  the  sum. — Ay,  do  !" 

Trophimus  turned  away.  "  The  Lord  have  mercy 
upon  thee,  neighbor,"  he  said  sadly,  "  and  bring  thee 
to  a  knowledge  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Christ  Jesus." 

*  Acts  xix.,  19. 


A  BUSINESS  MAN  OF  EPHESUS.  365 

With  a  sudden  violent  gesture  Demetrius  plucked 
the  jeweled  poinard  from  his  girdle  and  hurled  it  after 
the  departing  figure  of  the  man  whom  he  had  once 
called  friend.  The  weapon  fell  short  and  clattered 
noisily  upon  the  pavement.  "The  curses  of  Diana! 
— The  curses  of  Diana  light  upon  thee  !"  he  shrieked. 
"  Askion !  Kataskion !  Lix  !  Tetras  !  Damname- 
neus  !" 

But  Trophimus  went  steadily  on  his  way,  and  never 
so  much  as  turned  his  head. 


366  PAUL. 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 

"GREAT  DIANA  OF  THE  EPHESIANS  !" 

"  \  SKION,  Kataskion,  Lix,  Tet— "  Demetrius 
-^^-  stopped  short  with  a  snarl  like  that  of  an 
angry  hyena,  then  he  turned  and  darted  into  the  shop. 
"  How  many  shrines  did  we  sell  at  the  last  Ephesia 
but  one?"  he  demanded,  glaring  at  his  foreman  as  if 
he  would  tear  him  in  twain. 

"  Diana  be  praised,  we  sold  more  than  a  score  of 
thousands,  gracious  master,"  answered  the  craftsman 
with  an  uneasy  smile. 

"  How  many  last  year?  Answer  quickly,  fellow." 

"  There  were  fewer  pilgrims  last  year,  as  also  thou 
knowest,  honored  sir,"  said  the  man,  spreading  out  his 
hands  apologetically,  "fewer  pilgrims  and — " 

"Yes,  I  do  know,"  snarled  Demetrius  stamping  his 
foot,  "  fewer  pilgrims  and  only  fifteen  thousand  shrines 
sold." 

The  foreman  shrugged  his  shoulders,  "  Not  a  small 
number — fifteen  thousand,"  he  ventured.  "  Now  this 
year — " 

"  Yes,  and  what  of  this  year?  Only  a  beggarly  five 
thousand  !  Great  Diana  of  the  Ephesians  !  Askion, 
Kataskion,  Lix  ! — Bah  !" 

"  But  the  festival  has  but  just  commenced,  hon 
ored — " 


"GREAT  DIANA  OF  THE  EPHESIANS!"          367 

"  Hold  thy  tongue,  dog,  till  I  bid  thee  bark.  Go 
forth,  say  to  the  craftsmen  who  make  images  of  the 
goddess — of  whatever  sort — come  hither,  and  at  once. 
Dost  thou  hear?" 

"  I  hear,  gracious  sir,"  answered  the  man,  staring  at 
his  master  in  amazement ;  "  but  surely  thou  dost  not 
mean  the  makers  of  the  miserable  clay  images,  nor  the 
fellow  Helotus  yonder  who  hath  dared  to  imitate  thy 
sacred  production  in  copper  bronze  ?" 

Demetrius  swallowed  hard,  the  great  veins  on  his 
forehead  stood  out  like  whip-cord.  "Yes,"  he  said 
fiercely.  "  Fetch  them  all — everyone.  Compel  them 
to  come.  Tell  them  Demetrius  hath  a  weighty  matter 
to  lay  before  them  ;  a  matter  which  hath  to  do  with 
gold — ay,  with  gold." 

Within  the  hour  the  square  in  front  of  the  shop  of 
Demetrius  was  thronged  with  brawny  artisans,  many 
of  them  bearing  the  implements  of  their  labor.  It 
was  evident  that  these  were  in  no  mood  to  be  trifled 
with. 

"Where  is  Demetrius?"  growled  a  great  hulking 
fellow,  who  carried  a  brace  of  mighty  hammers  in  his 
belt.  "And  what  of  the  gold?  By  Artemis,  I  would 
have  him  understand  that  time  is  gold  with  me." 

"  Ay,  where  is  he  ?"  echoed  a  score  of  others.  "  If 
this  be  one  of  his  scurvy  tricks  now,  to  lure  us  away 
from  our  shops — " 

But  Demetrius  was  already  clambering  upon  a 
bench,  which  he  had  dragged  with  his  own  hands  from 
the  interior  of  the  shop.  His  rich  robes  had  been  laid 


368  PAUL. 

aside.  He  wore  the  conical  cap  of  a  master-smith  and 
a  shabby  workman's  blouse. 

"What  dost  thou  want  with  us,  Demetrius?"  cried 
the  man  with  the  hammers,  stepping  forward.  This 
man  was  Helotus,  the  rival  shrine-maker. 

Demetrius  surveyed  him  with  an  inscrutable  smile, 
"  I  want  much,  brother  craftsmen,"  he  said. — "  Ay, 
much.  Yonder  before  the  school  of  Tyrannus  lies  a 
heap  of  ashes  ;  that  heap  of  ashes  was  once  worth  fifty 
thousand  pieces  of  silver — ay,  fifty  thousand  pieces  !" 

"And  what  has  that  to  do  with  us?"  roared  Helo 
tus,  advancing  a  step  nearer. 

"  Much  !"  repeated  Demetrius,  his  eyes  flaming, 
"  those  costly  books  were  burned  at  the  instigation  of 
one  Paul,  a  knavish  Jew,  who  hath  dwelt  in  our  city 
for  a  matter  of  three  years  now.  So  would  he  burn 
the  images  of  the  great  Diana,  which  we  fashion  to 
her  honor  and  glory." 

A  sullen  growl  of  wrath  greeted  these  words. 

" 'Tis  a  matter  of  gold,"  continued  Demetrius,  his 
shrill  voice  rising  almost  to  a  scream,  "  for,  sirs,  ye 
know  that  by  this  craft  we  have  our  wealth.  More 
over  ye  see  and  hear,  that  not  alone  at  Ephesus,  but 
almost  throughout  all  Asia,  this  Paul  hath  persuaded 
and  turned  away  much  people,  saying  that  they  be  no 
gods  which  are  made  with  hands.  So  that  not  only 
this  our  craft  is  in  danger  to  be  set  at  naught,  but  also 
that  the  temple  of  the  great  goddess  Diana  should  be 
despised,  and  her  magnificence  destroyed,  whom  all 
Asia  and  the  world  worshipeth  !" 


"GREAT  DIANA  OF  THE  EPHESIANS!"         369 

"  Great  is  Diana  of  the  Ephesians  !  Great  is  Diana 
of  the  Ephesians  !"  burst  forth  a  deep-throated  roar. 

Demetrius  joined  in  the  cry,  waving  his  cap  high 
above  his  head.  From  his  elevated  position  he  could 
see  that  people  were  running  towards  them  from  every 
direction.  He  laughed  aloud. 

"  Great  is  Diana  of  the  Ephesians  !  Great  is  Diana 
of  the  Ephesians !" 

The  hurrying  crowds  took  up  the  cry  with  savage 
joy.  And  yonder  was  a  score  of  long-haired  priests, 
dancing,  leaping,  and  shrieking  forth  the  wild  ululatus 
of  the  temple  worship.  "Great — Great  Diana  !  Diana 
of  the  Ephesians  !  Great — great !" 

"Ay,  great  Diana  of  the  Ephesians!"  screamed 
Demetrius,  "  and  death  to  the  man  who  hath  dishonored 
her  name  !" 

"  Death  !  Death  !"  howled  the  mob.  "  Great  is 
Diana  of  the  Ephesians  !" 

"  Follow  where  I  lead  !"  cried  Demetrius  leaping 
into  the  midst  of  the  crowd.  "  Death  to  the  Jew  ! 
Death  !" 

Priscilla  the  tent-maker,  busily  at  work  with  her 
husband  in  one  of  the  squalid  streets  of  the  Jewish 
quarter,  heard  the  sound  of  the  tumult ;  she  shook 
her  head  with  a  sigh.  "  They  are  shouting  the 
praises  of  the  idol  louder  than  ever,"  she  said  with  a 
quick  impatient  frown.  "  Nay  I  marvel  at  the  for 
bearance  of  the  living  God.  Surely  this  city  is  more 
noisome  than  Sodom  of  old  which  was  burned  with 
fire ;  it  is  more  evil  than  Egypt  which  Jehovah 

21 


370  PAUL. 

plagued  with  a  sevenfold  torment.  And  it  is  for  such 
worthless  wretches  that  our  good  Paulus  doth  live  a 
life  of  toil  and  suffering,  scarce  taking  time  to  sleep  or 
to  eat ;  spending  himself  like  a  copper  farthing,  who 
also  is  pure  gold  and  worth  a  million  souls  of  yonder 
screaming  blasphemous  besotted  idolaters.  Jehovah 
be  praised,  he  is  asleep  now  after  toiling  all  night." 

Aquila  threaded  his  empty  needle  before  he  an 
swered.  "  And  how,"  said  he  slowly,  "  earnest  thou 
to  possess  such  knowledge?" — setting  two  stitches 
firmly  and  deliberately — "  Dost  thou  also  hold  the 
eternal  balance  in  which  men  and  cities  are  weighed 
for  judgment?" 

Priscilla  did  not  answer  ;  she  was  staring  at  the  door 
of  the  courtyard.  "  What — what  is  it,  my  Gaius  ?" 
she  faltered. 

The  man  who  had  entered  hastily  locked  and 
barred  the  door  behind  him.  His  face  was  white  and 
his  eyes  stood  out  of  his  head  with  terror.  "  Is 
Paulus  here?"  he  whispered. 

"  Yes — yes,  asleep  yonder,  what  is  it  ?" 

"  We  must  hide  him  quick  !  The  mob — dost  thou 
not  hear?" 

Priscilla  looked  about  her  despairingly.  "  But — 
where  ?"  she  cried,  wringing  her  hands. 

"  Great  is  Diana  of  the  Ephesians  !  Death — death 
to  the  Jew  !" 

"  They  will  tear  him  limb  from  limb,"  whispered 
Gaius,  "  but  not  whilst  I  live  ! — Aristarchus  is  with 
out,  he  can  hold  them  at  the  gate  for  a  moment." 


"GREAT  DIANA  OF  THE  EPHESIANSr         371 

Now  Priscilla  was  a  woman  of  resources ;  some 
months  before,  finding  herself  hampered  in  her  small 
house-keeping  by  the  bulky  masses  of  tent-cloth,  she 
had  caused  a  small  square  cellar  to  be  excavated  in 
the  beaten  floor  of  the  courtyard,  this  place  she  had 
found  most  convenient  for  the  storage  of  articles  of 
food,  fuel,  and  various  utensils.  It  was  provided  with 
a  close-fitting  cover. 

"Fetch  him  hither — on  his  bed,"  she  whispered 
urgently :  "  do  not  waken  him  or  he  will  face  the 
mob — say  what  we  will.  Quickly,  so  !" 

She  dropped  the  cover  softly,  dragged  the  tent- 
cloth  on  which  she  was  working  across  it,  then  coolly 
resumed  her  monotonous  stitching.  "  Go  out  now 
into  the  street,  both  of  you,"  she  said,  motioning  to 
the  two  men.  "  I  shall  be  best  alone." 

But  there  was  no  time  for  flight,  even  had  Aquila 
and  Gaius  been  so  minded,  the  furious  storm  of  blows 
which  shook  the  door,  mingled  with  deafening  howls, 
"  The  Jew  !  the  Jew  !  Open  in  the  name  of  the  great 
Diana!"  announced  the  presence  of  Demetrius  and 
his  fellows. 

Priscilla  shrugged  her  shoulders,  an  angry  light 
glittered  in  her  brown  eyes.  "  Curs  !"  she  said  con 
temptuously.  "  Open  to  them,  my  husband  ;  the  door 
is  but  wood." 

The  place  was  filled  in  a  twinkling,  so  full  that  the 
first  to  enter  were  crowded  against  the  further  wall, 
and  held  there  as  in  a  vise. 

"The  Jew — the  Jew!"   yelled    Demetrius,    seizing 


372  PA  UL. 

Priscilla  by  the  wrist.  "  Where  is  the  Jew,  Paulus  ? 
Answer,  wench  !" 

"And  what  might  be  your  business  with  Paulus, 
sir?"  asked  Priscilla,  looking  down  at  the  puny 
silver-smith  from  the  full  height  of  her  indignant 
womanhood. 

For  answer  Demetrius  reached  up  and  struck  her 
full  across  the  face.  "Where  is  the  Jew?"  he  re 
peated  with  a  vile  execration. 

Priscilla  trembled ;  the  strength  seemed  to  sink 
away  from  her  limbs,  a  feeling  of  deadly  nausea 
almost  overpowered  her.  She  looked  wildly  about 
for  her  husband  and  Gaius,  they  had  disappeared  ;  she 
fancied  she  could  hear  their  voices  above  the  deafening 
tumult  in  the  street.  ""  Help,  Lord  !"  she  sighed  ;  and 
on  the  instant  strength  and  courage  came.  She  sud 
denly  remembered  that  in  the  throng  and  tumult  lay 
safety  for  the  man  she  was  striving  to  save.  She 
smiled  triumphantly.  "  He  will  be  displeased  with 
me,"  she  said  to  herself,  "but  if  I  save  him  I  can 
endure  his  frown." 

"  Thou  hast  led  us  on  a  wrong  scent  this  time,  De 
metrius,"  shouted  Helotus  angrily.  "The  Jew  is 
nowhere  to  be  found.  Come,  let  us  go  !" 

"  He  was  seen  to  enter  this  place  not  two  hours 
since,"  snarled  Demetrius,  staring  fixedly  at  Priscilla's 
white  face.  "He  is  not  far  away,  and  what  is  more 
the  woman  knows  where.  Fetch  me  a  torch,  some  of 
you." 

Helotus   laughed  savagely.      "This  will  serve  as 


"GREAT  DIANA  OF  THE  EPIIESIANS!"          373 

well,"  he  said,  holding  up  a  brazier  heaped  with  glow 
ing  charcoal.  "  The  Jew's  porridge  may  cool  awhile." 

"Ay,  the  brazier  will  do.  Hold  the  wench  from 
behind  there — so.  Now  wilt  thou  answer  ?  Where 
is  the  Jew  ?  Tell  me,  or  straightway  I  offer  this  right 
hand  of  thine  a  burnt  sacrifice  to  great  Diana  of  the 
Ephesians." 

Priscilla  threw  back  her  head  haughtily,  her  eyes 
blazed.  "  Thinkest  thou  to  torture  me  unto  confes 
sion,"  she  cried.  "  Idolaters — cowards  !  I  fear  neither 
you  nor  the  fire  !"  Snatching  her  hand  from  the  grasp 
of  Demetrius  she  plunged  it  into  the  brazier,  seized  a 
handful  of  the  blazing  charcoal  and  hurled  it  into  the 
crowd. 

"A  witch  !  A  witch  !  A  fire-witch  !"  screamed  a 
voice.  "  Run  for  your  lives  !" 

With  wild  cries  of  terror  the  mob  fought,  bit,  and 
tore  each  other  in  their  frantic  efforts  to  gain  the  street. 
There  was  a  smell  of  burning,  a  thunder  of  trampling 
feet,  a  chorus  of  curses,  yells,  execrations,  and  the 
courtyard  was  empty.  Priscilla  looked  anxiously 
about  her.  There  was  neither  smoke  nor  flame, 
though  the  blackened  holes  in  the  tent-cloth  showed 
plainly  enough  where  the  burning  coals  had  fallen. 
The  mob  had  trampled  out  the  fire  in  their  mad  rush 
for  the  street. 

"Thank  God  !"  cried  Priscilla,  sinking  to  her  knees. 
"Thank  God!"  Then  she  quietly  fainted,  her  head 
falling  back  against  the  heap  of  tattered  and  ruined 
cloth.  But  Paul  on  his  bed  in  the  little  cellar  below 


374  PAUL. 

still  slept  the  death-like  sleep  of  utter  exhaustion. 
And  so  Aquila  found  them  a  few  moments  later,  when 
torn  and  bleeding  from  his  desperate  struggle  with  the 
mob,  he  rushed  into  his  dismantled  house. 

When  Paul  understood  what  had  taken  place,  and 
how  Priscilla  and  Aquila  had  stood  between  him  and 
death  in  its  most  awful  form,*  he  bowed  his  head. 
"  Greater  love  hath  no  man  than  this,"  he  murmured, 
"  that  a  man  lay  down  his  life  for  his  friend."  After  a 
pause  he  asked  for  Gaius  and  Aristarchus  his  com 
panions  in  travel,  and  learning  that  they  were  still  in 
the  hands  of  the  mob,  he  would  have  gone  forth  to 
their  rescue  straightway. 

But  Priscilla  fell  down  at  his  knees.  "  By  the  burn 
ing  anguish  of  my  right  hand,"  she  cried,  "  which  I 
endure  with  joy,  knowing  that  it  availed  for  thy  life, 
I  beseech  thee  to  remain  in  safety." 

And  while  she  yet  spake,  there  came  others  of  the 
disciples  who  brought  word  from  the  chief  men  of  the 
city,  requesting  that  Paul  should  not  adventure  him 
self  among  the  people.  "The  mob,"  said  these, 
"  have  rushed  into  the  theatre,  where  they  are  shout 
ing  as  with  one  voice,  '  Great  is  Diana  of  the  Ephe- 
sians  !'  As  for  Gaius  and  Aristarchus,  being  Greeks, 
they  are  not  likely  to  come  to  any  harm."t 

After  the  uproar  was  ceased,  Paul  called  unto  him 
the  disciples,  and  when  he  had  bade  them  farewell  he 

*  Romans  xvi.,  3,  4.     See  also,  Farrar's  Life  and  Work  of 
St.  Paul,  chap.  xxxi. 
-j-  Acts  xix.,  29-41. 


"GREAT  DIANA  OF  THE  EPHESIANSl"          375 

departed  unto  Macedonia,*  where  he  visited  the 
churches,  exhorting  and  confirming  them  in  the  faith. 
From  Macedonia  he  traveled  into  Greece  and  there 
remained  for  the  space  of  three  months,  but  being 
again  in  peril  at  the  hands  of  the  Jews,  he  returned  to 
Macedonia  and  thence  by  ship  to  Miletus,  for  he 
desired  if  it  were  possible  to  be  at  Jerusalem  on  the 
day  of  Pentecost. 

From  Miletus  he  sent  to  Ephesus,  and  called  the 
elders  of  the  church.  And  when  they  were  come  he 
said  to  them, 

"  Brethren,  ye  know  from  the  first  day  that  I  came 
to  Asia,  after  what  manner  I  have  been  with  you  at 
all  seasons  :  serving  the  Lord  with  all  lowliness  of 
mind,  and  with  many  tears  and  trials  which  befell  me 
through  the  plotting  of  the  Jews.  And  how  I  kept 
back  none  of  those  things  which  are  profitable  for  you, 
but  declared  them  to  you,  and  taught  you  publicly 
and  from  house  to  house  ;  testifying  both  to  Jews  and 
Gentiles  their  need  of  repentance  towards  God  and 
faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

"And  now,  behold,  I  go  bound  in  the  spirit  unto 
Jerusalem,  not  knowing  the  things  that  shall  befall 
me  there,  save  that  the  Holy  Spirit  witnesseth  in  every 
city,  saying  that  bonds  and  afflictions  abide  me.  But 
none  of  these  things  move  me,  neither  count  I  my  life 
dear  unto  myself  so  that  I  might  finish  my  course 

*  It  is  thought  that  II.  Corinthians  was  written  at  Philippi  at 
this  time.  Galatians  and  Romans  also  belong  to  this  period, 
being  written  from  Corinth  a  few  months  later. 


376  PA  UL. 

with  joy,  and  the  ministry  which  I  received  from  the 
Lord  Jesus  to  testify  the  glad-tidings  of  the  grace  of 
God. 

"And  now  I  know  that  ye  all,  among  whom  I  have 
gone  from  city  to  city  proclaiming  the  kingdom  of 
God,  shall  see  my  face  no  more.  Wherefore  I  call 
you  to  witness  this  day  that  I  am  clean  from  the  blood 
of  all  men.  For  I  shrank  not  from  declaring  unto  you 
the  whole  counsel  of  God.  Take  heed  therefore  unto 
yourselves,  and  to  all  the  flock,  over  which  the  Holy 
Spirit  hath  set  you  as  shepherds,  to  feed  the  church 
of  God,  which  he  purchased  with  his  own  blood.  For 
this  I  know,  that  after  my  departure  grievous  wolves 
shall  enter  in  among  you,  not  sparing  the  flock.  And 
from  among  your  own  selves  shall  men  arise,  speak 
ing  perverted  words  that  they  may  draw  away  the  dis 
ciples  after  them.  Therefore  be  watchful,  and  re 
member  that  for  the  space  of  three  years  I  ceased  not 
to  warn  every  one  of  you  night  and  day  with  tears. 

"  And  now  brethren,  I  commend  you  to  God,  and 
to  the  word  of  his  grace  ;  even  to  him  who  is  able  to 
build  you  up  and  to  give  you  an  inheritance  among  all 
them  that  are  sanctified.  I  have  coveted  no  man's 
silver  or  gold,  or  apparel.  Yea,  ye  yourselves  know 
that  these  hands  have  ministered  unto  my  necessities 
and  to  them  that  were  with  me.  I  have  showed  you 
all  things,  how  that  so  laboring  ye  ought  to  support 
the  weak,  and  to  remember  the  words  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  how  he  said,  '  It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than 
to  receive.'  " 


"GREAT  DIANA  OF  THE  EPHESIANS!"         377 

When  he  had  thus  spoken,  he  kneeled  down  and 
prayed  with  them  all.  And  they  all  wept  sore,  and 
fell  on  Paul's  neck  and  kissed  him,  sorrowing  most  of 
all  for  the  word  which  he  had  spoken,  that  they  should 
see  his  face  no  more. 

And  they  accompanied  him  to  the  ship. 


PART  III 

"AN  AMBASSADOR  IN  BONDS" 


(379) 


P 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 
"DESPISED  AND  REJECTED." 

AUL  reached  Jerusalem  in  time  for  the  feast  of 
Pentecost,  as  he  had  wished.  What  inward 
conviction  urged  him  on  can  never  be  known.  "  Go 
not  up  to  Jerusalem,"  said  certain  disciples  at  Tyre 
where  the  travelers  tarried  seven  days  ;  and  it  is  re 
corded  of  these  that  they  "spake  through  the  spirit." 
At  Caesarea  also  came  a  second  warning  ;  Agabus,  on 
whom  had  fallen  the  mysterious  gift  of  prophecy,  took 
Paul's  girdle  and  bound  his  own  hands  and  feet,  say 
ing,  "So  shall  the  Jews  at  Jerusalem  bind  the  man 
that  owneth  this  girdle,  and  shall  deliver  him  into  the 
hands  of  the  Gentiles." 

At  this  both  his  host  and  the  disciples  of  Caesarea 
who  had  gathered  to  meet  him,  with  Timothy  and 
Luke,  Sopater,  Aristarchus  and  Secundus,  Gaius, 
Tychicus  and  Trophimus,  his  companions  in  travel, 
besought  him  with  tears  that  he  should  not  go  up  to 
Jerusalem. 

But  Paul  answered  them,  "  What  mean  ye  to  weep 
and  break  mine  heart  ?  for  I  am  ready  not  to  be 
bound  only,  but  also  to  die  at  Jerusalem  for  the  name 
of  the  Lord  Jesus." 

"And  when  he  could  not  be  persuaded,"  writes 
Luke,  "  we  ceased,  saying,  The  will  of  the  Lord  be 
done." 

(381) 


382  PA  UL. 

The  day  of  Pentecost  passed  quietly ;  and  on  the 
day  following,  Paul  together  with  the  delegates  from 
the  Gentile  churches,  bearing  the  contributions  which 
were  the  fruit  of  untold  sacrifices,  of  reverent  and 
loving  regard  for  the  mother-church  at  Jerusalem,  ap 
peared  before  the  council  of  elders.  Paul  had  taught 
these  men  that  there  was  neither  Jew  nor  Greek  in 
the  sight  of  God,  that  all  were  one  in  Christ  Jesus  ; 
he  had  encouraged  them  to  rejoice  in  their  freedom 
from  the  law,  to  beware  lest  they  become  entangled  with 
the  yoke  of  bondage,  "  In  Jesus  Christ  neither  circum 
cision  availeth  anything  nor  uncircumcision,"  he  had 
declared,  "but  faith  which  worketh  by  love."  Yet 
before  the  cold,  almost  hostile  eyes  of  that  conclave 
of  rigid  law-abiding  Jewish  presbyters,  these  ardent 
disciples  must  have  felt  some  painful  misgivings. 

One  by  one  the  deputies  came  forward  and  laid  their 
offerings  at  the  feet  of  James,  scarcely  daring  to  lift 
their  eyes  to  the  mysterious  white-robed  presence 
whence  breathed  an  atmosphere  of  awful  holiness. 

The  hands  of  the  youthful  Timothy  trembled,  his 
face  was  colorless,  the  rigid  severe  countenances  of  the 
presbyters,  the  unbending  austere  brow  of  the  Lord's 
brother,  that  Nazarite  for  life,  somehow  awakened  in 
his  heart  all  the  fears  long  since  put  to  rest,  but  with 
a  single  look  into  the  face  of  his  beloved  father  in  the 
faith  a  genial  warmth  stole  into  his  chilled  heart ;  he 
became  conscious  of  that  other  and  gentler  presence, 
the  presence  of  the  Lord  himself. 

And  now  Paul  began  to  speak  of  the  wonderful  ex- 


"DESPISED  AND  REJECTED."  383 

periences  of  the  past  years  ;  as  he  unrolled  the  glorious 
record  of  his  labors,  "  showing  one  by  one  what  things 
God  had  wrought  among  the  nations  by  his  ministry," 
loud  alleluias  burst  forth  from  the  listening  delegates, 
and  even  the  self-contained  presbyters  were  roused 
momentarily  from  their  disapproving  silence  into  a 
murmur  of  dignified  and  cautious  praise. 

But  this  was  all ;  we  are  not  informed  that  any  grat 
itude  was  expressed  for  the  generous  tokens  of  love 
and  fealty  sent  by  the  struggling  churches,  nor  does 
the  inspired  chronicler  record  any  word  of  encourage 
ment  or  cheer  spoken  to  the  worn  laborer.  There  is 
no  mention  of  any  plan  whereby  comfort  and  safety 
might  be  secured  to  him  whose  life  was  avowedly  in 
danger  even  in  Jerusalem.  What  then  happened  ? 

"You  observe,  brother,"  said  one  of  the  council,* 
with  a  preliminary  wave  of  the  hand,  "  how  many 
myriads  of  the  Jews  there  are  which  believe,  and  they 
are  all  zealous  of  the  law.  These  have  been  positively 
informed  that  thou  teachest  apostacy  from  Moses,  tell 
ing  the  Jews  among  all  nations  not  to  circumcise  their 
children,  and  not  to  walk  in  obedience  to  the  customs. 
How  then  do  we  find  ourselves  ?  That  a  crowd  will 
assemble  is  quite  certain  ;  for  they  will  all  hear  that 
thou  art  come.  Do  therefore  this,  that  we  bid  thee. 
We  have  four  men  which  have  a  vow  upon  them. 
Take  them,  be  purified  with  them,  and  pay  their 

*  Some  authorities  attribute  this  speech  to  James.  Others  as 
positively  affirm  that  it  was  spoken  by  some  other  member  of 
the  Council. 


384  PA  UL. 

charges  that  they  may  shave  their  heads.  All  persons 
will  then  see  that  those  things  whereof  they  were  in 
formed  concerning  thee,  are  nothing ;  but  that  thou 
thyself  walkest  orderly,  keeping  the  law.  But  as  re 
gards  the  Gentiles,  which  have  embraced  the  faith,  we 
have  already  enjoined  their  exemption  from  anything 
of  this  kind,  save  only  that  they  keep  themselves  from 
things  offered  to  idols,  and  from  blood,  and  from 
strangled,  and  from  fornication." 

For  a  full  moment  there  was  silence  in  the  place  ; 
the  great  apostle  to  the  Gentiles  was  looking  down 
upon  the  ground.  Did  he  recognize  in  this  unworthy 
and  humiliating  proposition  that  spirit  of  hatred  and 
jealousy  which  had  dogged  his  footsteps  for  so  many 
years  ?  Did  he  feel  that  the  eyes  of  the  Gentile 
churches  were  upon  him  ;  that  they  looked  to  see 
whether  he  would  bend  his  own  neck  to  that  galling 
yoke  of  bondage  from  which  he  had  labored  so  val 
iantly  to  set  them  free  ?  Did  he  perceive  that  the 
hand  of  the  pharisaical  Christian  held  out  to  him  a  cup 
of  appalling  suffering  and  of  certain  death  ? 

Yet  nothing  could  avail  to  move  him  save  that  faith 
which  walketh  by  love.  Truly,  though  he  was  free, 
he  was  willing  to  become  the  servant  of  all  that  he 
might  gain  the  more,  he  was  made  all  things  to  all 
men  that  he  might  save  some.* 

He  raised  his  eyes  and  looked  his  future  full  in  the 
face,  and  surely  we  may  not  doubt  that  there  was  the 
ring  of  certain  triumph  in  his  voice  as  he  said,  "  I  will 

*  I.  Cor.  ix.,  19-23  ;  and  John  xiii.,  14. 


"DESPISED  AND  REJECTED."  385 

do  the  thing  which  ye  have  asked  of  me."  Having 
said  this  he  made  no  delay,  but  taking  the  four  Naza- 
rites  entered  at  once  upon  the  tedious  ceremonial  rites 
of  purification. 

For  four  days  Paul  lived  in  the  chamber  of  the 
temple  set  apart  for  the  Nazarites  ;  for  four  days  he 
submitted  himself  patiently  to  all  the  endless  cere 
monial  which  rabbinical  pettiness  had  superimposed 
upon  Mosaic  ritual.  The  four  he-lambs  of  the  first 
year  for  the  burnt-offering,  the  four  ewe-lambs  of  the 
first  year  for  the  sin-offering,  the  four  rams  for  the 
peace-offering,  the  six  tenth-deals  and  the  two-thirds 
of  a  tenth-deal  of  flour  taken  four  times,  from  which 
were  to  be  baked  the  four  lots  of  twenty  cakes,  ten  of 
which  were  to  be  leavened  and  ten  unleavened,  and 
which  must  further  be  anointed  with  the  fourth  part 
of  a  log  of  oil,  and  brought  in  four  separate  baskets 
for  the  wave-offering,  all  these  had  been  duly  pro 
vided.  When  the  seven  days  should  be  completed, 
and  all  the  sacrifices  offered,  the  burnt-offerings,  the 
sin-offerings,  the  peace-offerings,  the  wave-offerings, 
the  meat-offerings,  the  drink-offerings  and  the  free 
will  offerings,  then  the  heads  of  the  four  men  could  be 
shaved,  and  their  hair,  roughened  and  tangled  by  more 
than  a  month  of  neglect,*  burnt  beneath  the  sacred 
cauldron  wherein  the  peace-offerings  were  boiling. 

*  The  duration  of  the  vow  was  never  less  than  thirty  days. 
During  this  period  the  Nazarite  was  not  permitted  to  comb  his 
hair,  lest  some  of  it  should  be  accidently  torn  out ;  he  was 
allowed  to  smooth  it  with  his  hands. 

25 


386  PA  UL. 

How  must  the  strong  spirit  of  Paul  have  groaned 
during  all  this  empty  and  tedious  observance.  In 
what  is  this  better  than  the  worship  of  Diana  or  of 
Jupiter  ?  he  must  have  asked  himself;  but  if  by  means 
of  this  painful  concession  to  the  Jewish  Christianity 
the  spread  of  the  glad-tidings  might  be  hastened — as 
he  had  been  assured,  he  was  willing  to  endure  it,  even 
as  he  had  endured  stripes  and  imprisonment  at  the 
hands  of  his  heathen  enemies ;  he  could  endure  all 
things  through  Christ  who  strengthened  him. 

On  the  morning  of  the  fifth  day  among  the  crowds 
which  surged  through  the  temple  enclosure,  there 
came  into  the  court  of  the  women  certain  Jews  from 
Asia.  As  their  eyes  roved  about  over  the  crowded 
space  one  of  them  caught  sight  of  Paul  and  the  four 
Nazarites  standing  oil-cakes  in  hand  before  the  attend 
ant  priest. 

"  Look  you,"  exclaimed  Alexander*  of  Ephesus 
seizing  one  of  his  companions  by  the  arm.  "  Yonder 
is  the  fellow  Shaul  !" 

"  What,  the  mad  apostate,  who  hath  stirred  up  all 
Asia  with  his  accursed  heresies  ?" 

"Ay,  the  very  same,"  answered  Alexander  grind 
ing  his  teeth.  "  Do  you  not  see  him  yonder  with  the 
four  Nazarites  ?  Hypocrite  !  he  would  play  the  zeal 
ous  law-abiding  Jew  in  the  temple  after  being  excom 
municated  from  every  synagogue  in  Asia.  His  blood 
be  upon  his  head !" 

With  that  he  rushed  through  the  crowd  and  threw 

*  I.  Tim.  i.,  20;  and  II.  Tim.  iv.,  14. 


"DESPISED  AND  REJECTED."  387 

himself  like  a  tiger  upon  his  prey,  crying  out,  "  Israel 
ites,  help !  This  is  the  fellow  that  teacheth  all  men 
everywhere  against  the  people,  and  the  law,  and  this 
place  !  Ay,  and  besides  that,  he  brought  Greeks  into 
the  temple,  and  hath  defiled  this  holy  place  !" 

"  He  brought  Greeks  into  the  temple  !  He  hath 
defiled  the  temple !"  The  blasting  falsehood  flew 
from  tongue  to  tongue  and  from  court  to  court ;  the 
people  cried  aloud  and  ran  crying  and  wailing  to  the 
spot.  Death  was  the  penalty  according  to  the  law, 
a  penalty  recognized  by  the  Romans  themselves. 
"  Death — death  to  the  man  who  hath  defiled  the  holy 
temple  !" 

With  wild  howls  and  execrations  the  frantic  Jews 
dragged  their  victim  by  main  force  through  the  great 
gate  "  Beautiful."  It  shut  with  a  clang  behind  them, 
impelled  by  the  frightened  Levites  who  had  hurried 
to  the  spot.  Down  the  steps  and  into  the  spacious 
court  of  the  Gentiles  rushed  the  infuriated  crowd  ;  ths 
place  was  instantly  filled  with  people,  who  ran  together 
from  every  direction  yelling  and  howling  with  that 
mad  unreasoning  fury  which  spreads  from  man  to  man 
like  lurid  lightning  flashes  amid  the  flying  cloud-rack 
of  an  angry  heaven.  Above  all  the  wild  tumult  of 
trampling  feet  and  strident  voices  sounded  the  dull 
thud  of  furious  blows. 

Suddenly  the  harsh  clang  of  shields  and  the  mea 
sured  thunder  of  mailed  feet  announced  the  approach 
of  a  detachment  of  the  Roman  guard.  It  was  useless 
to  resist ;  at  the  Passover  only  a  few  months  since 


388  PAUL. 

more  than  ten  thousand  of  the  Jews  had  been  killed 
on  this  very  spot,  some  falling  beneath  the  swords  of 
the  Romans,  others  in  their  efforts  to  escape  trampled 
and  crushed  to  death.  The  people  fell  back  on  every 
side,  stumbling  over  one  another  in  their  eagerness  to 
avoid  the  merciless  spear-points  of  their  masters. 

"  Make  way  there !"  and  Lysias  the  commandant 
of  Antonia,  surrounded  by  his  guards  laid  the  au 
thoritative  hand  of  Rome  on  the  half-insensible  victim 
of  Jewish  intolerance.  "  Who  is  this  man,  and  what 
is  his  offence  ?" 

A  wild  tumult  of  voices  answered  him.  "  Apos 
tate  !  Accursed  !  The  Temple — The  Temple — The 
Temple !" 

Lysias  frowned  contemptuously  ;  he  was  unhappily 
familiar  with  the  senseless  fanaticism  of  these  mad 
Jews.  "  Bind  him  with  two  chains,"  he  commanded 
briefly,  "  and  take  him  to  the  castle." 

But  the  mob,  seeing  their  prey  about  to  be  carried 
out  of  their  sight,  set  up  a  deafening  howl,  "  Away 
with  him — Away  with  him  !  Kill  him  !"  hurling 
themselves  upon  the  solid  phalanx  of  armed  men  in 
unavailing  fury.  The  fettered  prisoner  staggered  and 
would  have  fallen  before  the  shock  of  the  assault,  but 
the  soldiers,  obeying  the  command  of  their  watchful 
superior,  fairly  lifted  him  off  the  ground  and  continued 
their  steady  retreat  toward  the  stairs  which  led  to  the 
top  of  the  cloisters,  which  in  their  turn  communicated 
directly  with  the  castle  of  Antonia.  Now  the  stair 
was  gained  ;  a  moment  more  and  the  prisoner 


"DESPISED  AND  REJECTED."  389 

would  be  safe  within  the  massive  walls  of  the  forti 
fication. 

"  May  I  speak  a  word  with  you  ?" 

Lysias  glanced  at  his  prisoner  with  astonishment. 
"  Canst  thou  speak  Greek  ?"  he  demanded  ;  "  art  thou 
not  that  Egyptian,  who  a  short  time  ago  made  a  dis 
turbance,  and  led  out  into  the  wilderness  those  five 
thousand  assassins?"* 

"  I  am  a  Jew  of  Tarsus,  in  Cilicia,"  replied  the 
prisoner,  "and  therefore  a  citizen  of  no  mean  city.  I 
beseech  thee  suffer  me  to  speak  to  the  people." 

"Speak  if  thou  wilt — and  canst,"  said  the  Roman 
with  a  shrug.  But  he  stared  in  astonishment  when 
the  battered,  dusty,  insignificant-looking  man,  his 
clothing  hanging  in  shreds  about  him,  his  face  and 
shoulders  bleeding  from  countless  wounds,  succeeded 
with  an  authoritative  word  and  gesture  in  attracting 
the  attention  of  the  furious  multitude.  A  profound 
silence  followed  in  which  the  prisoner  spoke  rapidly, 
urgently,  persuasively,  as  the  chief  captain  could  make 
out  from  his  tone  and  gestures,  although  he  under 
stood  nothing  of  what  was  being  said. 

*  About  two  months  previous  to  this  time  a  certain  Egyptian 
created  a  great  excitement  in  Jerusalem  by  announcing  himself 
as  the  promised  Messiah.  It  is  said  that  he  succeeded  in  rais 
ing  some  30,000  followers,  promising  them  that  he  would  lead 
them  to  the  Mount  of  Olives,  and  that  the  walls  of  Jerusalem 
would  then  fall  flat  before  them.  Four  thousand  of  his  dupes 
actually  set  out  with  him,  but  were  surprised  by  Felix  with  his 
troops  ;  many  of  them  were  slain,  and  a  host  of  others  were 
taken  prisoners.  The  Egyptian  himself  made  good  his  escape 
and  was  never  heard  of  again. 


390  PAUL. 

Two — five — ten  minutes  passed,  and  still  the  multi 
tude  listened  in  perfect  silence,  every  eye  fastened 
upon  that  chained  figure  in  the  midst  of  the  Roman 
guard. 

"What  is  the  rascal  saying  to  them?"  growled 
Lysias  to  the  centurion  who  stood  at  his  side.  "  Must 
we  stand  here  all  day?" 

But  at  that  moment  the  tumult  broke  out  afresh 
with  furious  shouts,  yells,  groans,  execrations,  and  a 
whirlwind  of  flying  stones,  dust  and  shreds  of  torn 
garments. 

"  He  said  '  Gentiles  '  just  then,"  answered  the  cen 
turion  with  a  grin,  as  they  resumed  their  cautious  re 
treat  toward  the  barracks. 

"  Dogs  !"  exclaimed  the  commandant  with  an  oath. 
With  a  fresh  access  of  irritation  he  cast  his  eye  upon 
the  prisoner.  He  was  also  a  Jew  by  his  own  confes 
sion.  "Take  the  fellow  and  scourge  him,"  he  com 
manded,  "  that  we  may  find  out  what  this  accursed 
tumult  is  about ;  there  is  no  other  way  to  get  the  truth 
out  of  the  lying  knaves." 

But  as  they  bound  him  with  thongs  to  the  low 
pillar,  preparatory  to  the  awful  examination  by  torture, 
the  prisoner  said  very  quietly  to  the  centurion  who 
stood  near, 

"Is  it  lawful  for  you  to  scourge  a  man  that  is  a 
Roman  and  uncondemned  ?" 

The  centurion  started  with  amazement.  "  Hold," 
he  said  gruffly  to  the  soldiers  who  were  preparing 
to  lay  on  the  flagellum.  "  I  must  look  to  this." 


" DESPISED  AND  REJECTED."  391 

He  at  once  sought  out  his  superior  officer.  "  What 
are  you  about?"  he  demanded  bluntly.  "  The  man  is 
a  Roman." 

Lysias  brought  down  his  hand  heavily  upon  his 
knee.  "  A  Roman,  sayst  thou  ?  then,  by  Bacchus,  we 
had  no  right  to  bind  him  !  I  will  come  out  at  once." 

The  prisoner  was  still  bound  to  the  torture  post, 
and  as  Lysias  stared  at  his  back,  made  naked  for  the 
whips,  he  perceived  from  the  livid  scars  which  dis 
figured  it  that  the  man  had  already  suffered  more  than 
once  beneath  the  scourge.*  "  Tell  me,"  he  said  with 
an  incredulous  smile,  "art  thou  a  Roman?" 

"Yes." 

Lysias  shook  his  head  doubtfully ;  the  man  was  a 
Jew  clearly  enough,  and  a  poor  Jew ;  the  franchise 
was  a  costly  privilege.  "  I  know  how  much  it  cost 
me  to  get  the  citizenship,"  he  said  boastfully. 

"But  I  was  born  a  citizen." 

The  commandant  turned  pale.  "  Take  him  away," 
he  said  irritably  ;  "  I  will  look  into  his  case  further." 

With  that  he  turned  on  his  heel  and  strode  away, 
muttering  execrations  on  the  whole  Jewish  nation,  but 
more  particularly  on  that  Jew  who  threatened  to  make 
it  very  uncomfortable  for  the  captain  of  Antonia  with 
his  claim  of  free-born  citizenship. 

"  It  is  some  matter  of  their  infernal  law,"  he  deter 
mined  at  length.  "  I  will  let  the  pack  of  hair-splitting 
rabbis  yonder  take  the  case  in  hand." 

*  II.  Cor.  xi.,  24. 


392  PAUL. 


CHAPTER   XXXVII. 

A    PROMISE   AND    A    VOW. 

THE  news-had  spread  throughout  Jerusalem  that 
Paul,  the  apostate  Sanhedrist,  the  hated  propa 
gator  of  hateful  heresies,  the  mad  fanatic  who  openly 
declared  that  a  Gentile  could  be  as  holy  as  a  Jew,  had 
been  captured  in  the  very  act  of  openly  defiling  the 
temple.  If  James  and  his  circle  of  Jewish  presbyters 
made  any  effort  to  set  the  matter  right  it  is  not  men 
tioned  in  the  inspired  records.  It  would  seem  that 
the  man  was  abandoned  to  his  fate,  a  fate  which  some 
of  the  Jewish  Christians  no  doubt  thought  well- 
deserved.  When  the  Sanhedrim  received  notice  from 
the  commandant  of  the  garrison  that  the  prisoner 
would  be  delivered  over  into  their  hands  for  trial, 
there  was  a  general  expression  of  satisfaction.  It  was 
felt  that  for  once  the  Romans  had  shown  a  proper 
deference  toward  the  Jewish  authorities. 

On  the  day  following  the  arrest  every  member  of 
the  Sanhedrim  was  in  his  place  ;  every  eye  was  fastened 
upon  the  prisoner,  as  he  was  brought  into  the  council- 
chamber  under  the  escort  of  a  quaternion  of  soldiers. 
In  his  turn  the  prisoner  looked  steadily  about  the 
circle  of  frowning  faces  which  confronted  him,  from 
Nasi  to  Scribe,  from  Scribe  to  Pharisee,  from  Pharisee 


A  PROMISE  AND  A  VOW.  393 

to  Sadducee.  Did  he  remember  the  day  when- he  him 
self  was  one  of  them,  and  the  young  man  Stephen 
with  his  angel  face  stood  in  the  place  of  the  accused  ? 

The  preliminary  questions  were  asked  and  answered  ; 
then  Paul,  still  gazing  earnestly  into  the  faces  of  his 
old-time  friends  and  associates,  began  his  defence. 
"  Brethren,  I  have  lived  in  all  good  conscience  before 
God  until  this  day." 

Something  in  the  unflinching  look  of  the  prisoner, 
and  the  air  of  quiet  confidence  with  which  these  words 
were  uttered  stung  the  high  priest,  Ananias,  into  sud 
den  fury. 

"  Smite  him  on  the  mouth  !"  he  snarled,  motioning 
authoritatively  to  one  of  the  temple  police  who  stood 
near  the  accused.  The  man  obeyed. 

"God  shall  smite  thee,  thou  whited  wall !"  exclaimed 
Paul,  his  pale  face  crimson,  his  eyes  flaming  with 
righteous  anger.  "  Sittest  thou  to  judge  me  accord 
ing  to  the  law,  and  in  violation  of  the  law  dost  thou 
command  me  to  be  smitten  ?" 

The  officers  of  the  court  closed  in  about  the  bold 
prisoner  with  threatening  looks.  "  Revilest  thou  God's 
high  priest  ?"  demanded  the  man  who  had  struck  him. 

"  I  did  not  consider  that  he  is  a  high  priest,"  answered 
the  accused  with  a  singular  smile,  "it  is  written  thou 
shalt  not  revile  the  ruler  of  thy  people."  His  keen 
eyes  swept  once  more  about  the  frowning  circle. 
"  Brethren  !"  he  cried  out  suddenly,  "  I  am  a  Pharisee, 
the  son  of  a  Pharisee ;  of  the  hope  and  resurrection 
of  the  dead  I  am  called  in  question  1" 


394  PAUL. 

Instantly  a  tumult  of  passionate  voices  arose.  "  The 
man  is  innocent !"  exclaimed  certain  of  the  Scribes 
who  with  the  Pharisaic  party  thoroughly  detested  the 
Sadducean  high  priest,  Ananias. 

"Away  with  him  !"  howled  the  Sadducees. 

"We  find  no  evil  in  the  man,"  returned  their  oppo 
nents,  the  Pharisees,  instantly  in  arms.  "  If  a  spirit 
or  an  angel  hath  spoken  to  him,  let  us  not  fight 
against  God  !" 

"Away  with  such  a  fellow  from  the  earth  !"  repeated 
the  Sadducees  with  savage  emphasis ;  then  casting 
aside  every  vestige  of  their  dignified  reserve  they 
rushed  upon  the  defendant  with  howls  of  rage. 

"  To  the  rescue  !  To  the  rescue  !"  cried  the  Scribes 
and  Pharisees,  preparing  to  do  valiant  battle  for  their 
favorite  doctrine. 

An  indescribable  uproar  followed,  in  the  midst  of 
which  the  Roman  centurion  sent  a  hasty  message  to 
the  commandant,  to  the  effect  that  there  was  danger 
of  the  prisoner  being  pulled  in  pieces  betwixt  the  rival 
factions.  A  second  time  a  rescue  party  under  Lysias 
removed  this  singular  offender  by  main  force  to  the 
Roman  stronghold. 

"  By  all  the  gods  of  Rome  !"  exclaimed  the  chief 
captain  when  he  had  heard  a  full  account  of  the  affair  ; 
"  these  Jews  are  past  finding  out ;  first,  they  are  all 
for  beating  the  man  to  death,  then  half  of  them  turn 
and  fight  the  other  half  like  a  pack  of  curs.  Ay,  curs 
they  be,  one  and  all ;  but  if  this  Jew  be  also  a  Roman 
citizen  they  shall  not  rend  him  whilst  this  castle  stands. 


A  PROMISE  AND  A  VOW.  395 

If  he  hath  lied,  Rome  herself  will  make  short  work 
with  him." 

That  night  there  passed  unchallenged  and  unseen 
through  the  triple  cordon  of  watchful  sentinels  a  radi 
ant  presence,  through  massive  wall  and  ponderous 
fast-locked  door,  through  damp  and  gloomy  corridors 
where  echoed  the  mailed  feet  of  the  midnight  guard, 
through  ill-smelling  barracks  where  sleeping  soldiers 
lay  by  hundreds  upon  their  shields,  it  came,  straight 
to  the  spot  where  crouched  the  prisoner,  wakeful  and 
suffering  in  body  and  soul  because  of  all  that  had  be 
fallen  him,  and  because  of  the  future  which  lay  dark 
and  threatening  before  him. 

"  Be  of  good  cheer,  Paul,"  said  the  voice  that  had 
once  smitten  the  unbelieving  Saul  to  the  earth  on  the 
Damascus  highway,  "  for  as  thou  hast  testified  of  me 
in  Jerusalem,  so  must  thou  bear  witness  also  at  Rome." 

Ananias,  the  high  priest,  was  also  wakeful  and  ill  at 
ease  on  that  night ;  the  occurrences  of  the  morning  had 
been  peculiarly  irritating,  doubly  so  since  he  felt  that 
in  a  measure  he  had  precipitated  the  uproar  by  his 
own  unwarranted  order.  Now  that  the  hated  apostate 
was  removed  beyond  the  reach  of  his  vengeance,  his 
anger  burned  all  the  more  fiercely  against  him.  "A 
Pharisee  !"  he  muttered,  "  and  the  son  of  a  Pharisee — 
accursed  be  all  Pharisees  with  their  driveling  cant  con 
cerning  the  resurrection — the  knave  lied ;  he  is  no 
more  a  Pharisee  than  was  the  Nazarene  himself." 

At  dawn  there  came  an  urgent  message  from  certain 
of  the  chief  priests  demanding  his  presence  in  the  coun- 


396  PAUL. 

cil-chamber.  "There  is  a  plan  on  foot,"  said  these, 
"  whereby  we  may  outwit  the  Romans,  humiliate  the 
Pharisees,  and  at  the  same  time  rid  the  world  of  a  dan 
gerous  apostate,  who  may  otherwise  escape  our  ven 
geance  on  the  score  of  his  Roman  citizenship." 

"Name  it,"  said  Ananias,  his  evil  face  lighting  up. 
At  a  signal  the  door  opened  and  a  number  of  men 
were  ushered  into  his  presence.  They  were  headed 
by  the  Ephesian  Jew,  Alexander,  who  the  day  before 
had  started  the  uproar  in  the  temple. 

"Thou  seest,  my  lord,"  began  this  worthy,  bowing 
himself  almost  to  the  ground  before  the  hierarch, 
"  that  there  are  here  forty  of  us,  law-abiding  all,  and 
zealous  concerning  the  commandments  of  Moses.  We 
hate  with  an  unspeakable  hatred  the  man  Shaul,  who 
has  taught  abominable  sayings  against  the  temple, 
against  the  law,  and  concerning  that  Galilean  who  died 
the  accursed  death  ;  and  this  not  only  in  Jerusalem, 
but  among  all  nations.  We  have  therefore  bound  our 
selves  with  a  most  solemn  vow  that  we  will  neither 
eat  nor  drink  till  we  have  accomplished  his  death. 
Now  do  you,  in  the  name  of  the  Sanhedrim,  send  word 
to  the  chief  captain  that  he  bring  the  man  down  unto 
you  on  the  morrow,  as  though  ye  would  make  more 
accurate  inquiry  into  his  case,  and  we,  or  ever  he  comes 
near,  are  ready  to  kill  him." 

Ananias  sprang  to  his  feet.  "A  righteous  vow,  O  son 
of  Abraham  !"  he  cried,  "A  holy  vow.  May  Jehovah 
grant  its  speedy  fulfillment.  As  for  me,  I  will  do  as 
thou  hast  said ;  by  the  veil  of  the  temple  I  swear  it !" 


A  PROMISE  AND  A  VOW.  397 

In  a  certain  quiet  street  not  far  from  the  temple, 
there  dwelt  at  this  very  time  a  Jewish  lady  to  whom 
the  news  of  the  arrest  and  imprisonment  of  Paul  came 
as  a  fresh  disgrace  and  humiliation. 

"  God  of  Israel !"  she  wailed,  "  has  not  this  man 
already  humbled  his  kinsfolk  and  aquaintance  to  the 
dust,  in  that  he  hath  allied  himself  with  the  hateful 
sect  of  the  Nazarenes — he  who  was  once  a  learned 
rabbi,  a  teacher  and  leader  of  the  wise,  a  veritable 
'  remover  of  mountains  ;'  and  now,  alas,  he  hath  fallen 
to  the  lowest  depths,  a  defiler  of  the  temple,  an  eater 
of  the  unclean  beast,  having  fellowship  with  the  un- 
circumcised  and  accursed.  Would  that  Jehovah  had 
taken  away  his  breath  while  he  yet  observed  His  com 
mandments  to  do  them.  Yea,  verily,  I  would  that 
we  both  had  gone  down  to  the  grave  whilst  we  were 
innocent  babes  at  our  mother's  knee  !" 

"  He  is  no  less  thy  brother,"  said  her  son,  a  lad  of 
about  thirteen  years.  "  And  he  is  sorely  in  need  of  help 
and  succor ;  even  the  Nazarenes  have  forsaken  him." 

"What  knowest  thou  of  the  Nazarenes?"  cried  the 
mother  angrily.  "  Have  I  not  forbidden  thee  to  speak 
to  one  of  them  ?" 

"  I  heard  it  in  the  temple,"  answered  the  boy 
stoutly.  "  The  Nazarenes  also  observe  the  law  of 
Moses  ;  and  they  are  saying  that  my  uncle  declares 
that  Gentiles  as  well  as  Jews  can  be  saved  in  the 
resurrection  through  faith  in  the  risen  Jesus,  and  that 
the  law  no  longer  avails  for  either  Jew  or  Gentile." 

"  Because  he  hath  said  such  words  he  is  no  longer 


393  PAUL. 

brother  of  mine,"  said  the  lady  coldly;  "they  are 
even  as  a  sharp  sword  before  which  the  ties  of  blood 
fall  asunder  and  are  no  more.  Soil  not  thy  lips  with 
such  wickedness,  my  son,  lest  the  evil  one  gain  thee 
also,  and  I  be  left  desolate." 

The  boy  drew  his  brows  together,  "  There  be  many 
beliefs  even  among  the  rabbis,  mother,"  he  said  argu- 
mentatively,  "  the  Sadducees  do  not  believe  that  there 
is  a  resurrection,  of  either  angel  or  spirit,  but  we 
Pharisees  confess  both.  What  if — " 

"  Nay,  child,  thou  art  not  yet  a  rabbi,"  interrupted 
the  mother  with  a  shadowy  smile.  "  Go  now  to  thy 
school  and  learn  wisdom,  that  the  Almighty  may  bless 
thee,  and  save  thee  out  of  the  pit  which  the  froward 
and  the  foolish  dig  for  themselves." 

The  school  was  already  called  when  the  nephew  of 
Paul  shyly  took  his  place  in  the  circle  which  sat  about 
the  teacher,  Simon  Ben  Gamaliel,  in  one  of  the  cham 
bers  of  the  temple.  The  boy  saluted  the  great  rabbi 
with  the  prescribed  obeisance  and  the  courteous  words 
of  morning  greeting. 

"  Thou  art  late  this  morning,  my  son  Jesse,"  said 
the  rabbi,  shaking  his  head.  "  Fail  not  to  remember 
that  the  days  of  a  man's  life  are  fashioned  from  the  small 
moments  of  the  hour  ;  and  that  all  the  days  and  all  the 
hours  and  all  the  moments  are  too  few  in  the  which  he 
may  gather  that  wisdom  which  is  better  than  rubies." 

The  lad  hung  his  head.  "  I  pray  thee  to  have  me 
excused  for  this  once,"  he  said  ;  "I  talked  with  my 
mother,  and  the  moments  fled  unaware." 


A  PROMISE  AND  A  VOW.  399 

The  learned  Simon  smiled,  "  A  wise  son  delighteth 
in  the  conversation  of  his  mother  ;  as  for  her,  her 
price  is  far  above  rubies,  even  as  it  is  written. — Thou 
art  pardoned." 

The  lessons  in  theology,  philosophy,  law  and  arith 
metic  were  at  last  finished  ;  and  now  the  pupils  sepa 
rated  to  the  study  of  the  different  trades  which  had 
been  chosen  for  them  by  their  parents.  All  the  great 
rabbis  of  the  day  were  masters  of  a  trade.  "  Learn 
ing,  no  matter  of  what  kind,"  declared  the  wise  Gama 
liel,  "if  unaccompanied  by  a  trade,  ends  in  nothing, 
and  leads  to  sin."  And  so  Rabbi  Ismael,  the  famous 
astronomer,  was  a  needle-maker ;  Rabbi  Jochanan 
was  a  shoe -maker,  Rabbi  Simon  a  weaver,  Rabbi 
Joseph  a  carpenter.  The  boy,  Jesse,  after  the  custom 
of  his  family  for  many  generations,  was  learning  to  be 
a  tent-maker.  He  did  not  like  the  work,  but  that 
made  no  difference,  as  he  knew  full  well.  As  he 
threaded  his  great  needle  he  became  aware  that  the 
other  boys  were  staring  at  him  and  whispering  to 
gether  ;  some  of  them  were  laughing. 

"Why  dost  thou  laugh?"  he  demanded,  fixing  his 
keen  grey  eyes  on  the  boy  who  sat  next  him.  "And 
what  are  Simon  and  Asa  whispering  about  that  I  may 
not  hear  ?" 

"  They  say  that  the  apostate,  Shaul,  who  was  seized 
in  the  temple  yesterday  is  the  brother  of  thy  mother, 
and  that  to-morrow  he  will  be  killed,"  answered  the 
boy  with  a  malicious  grin. 

"He  will  not  be  killed  to-morrow,"  retorted  Jesse 


400  PA  UL. 

promptly,  drawing  his  needle  through  the  coarse  cloth 
with  a  jerk.  "And  he  hath  done  nothing  blame 
worthy." 

"  Hear  that,"  cried  the  other,  looking  carefully 
about  to  be  sure  that  the  master  tent-maker  was  out 
of  hearing.  "  Young  Jesse,  here,  says  that  the  fellow 
Shaul  will  not  be  killed  to-morrow,  and  that  he  hath 
done  nothing  blameworthy !" 

"  He  will  be  killed,  young  kinsman  of  a  swine-eater  ; 
thou  wilt  see  before  the  setting  of  another  sun." 

"  The  Romans  will  protect  him  !"  cried  Jesse,  turn 
ing  pale. 

"  Ay,  and  will  they,  boy  ?  Let  me  tell  thee  that  no 
less  than  forty  law-abiding  Jews  have  bound  them 
selves  with  a  curse  that  they  will  neither  eat  nor  drink 
till  they  have  slain  the  knave." 

"Thou  art  telling  lies,  son  of  Abraham,"  said  the 
nephew  of  Paul,  indignant  tears  standing  in  his  eyes, 
"and  thou  knowest  the  penalty  of  the  law  for  that." 

"  And  thou  art  near  kin  to  a  blasphemer,  who  also 
shall  be  killed  with  stones  according  to  the  law," 
retorted  the  other  ;  "  if  I  lie,  then  may  Jehovah  smite 
me  where  I  stand.  The  forty  will  fulfil  their  cherem  ; 
one  of  them  who  fetches  wine-skins  to  my  father's 
house  told  our  gate-keeper,  and  I  heard  it.  They  will 
send  word  to  the  chief  captain  of  Antonia  to  bring 
down  the  prisoner  again  before  the  council,  then  in  the 
court  of  the  Gentiles  they  will  fall  upon  him  and  slay 
him." 

At  this  moment  the  master  tent-maker  re-entered 


A  PROMISE  AND  A  VOW.  401 

the  room  ;  instantly  every  voice  was  hushed,  and  forty 
shining  needles  flew  in  and  out  the  long  seams  with 
commendable  alacrity.  Jesse  worked  as  diligently  as 
any  of  them.  Not  once  during  the  hour  did  the  stern 
teacher  chide  him  for  inattention  ;  he  was  also  think 
ing.  When  the  signal  for  dismissal  came  he  hurried 
away  as  fast  as  possible,  scarcely  hearing  the  derisive 
whispers  which  buzzed  about  him.  He  had  resolved 
on  a  course  of  action  about  which  he  hardly  dared 
think  further,  for  fear  his  timid  heart  should  fail  him. 

An  hour  later  Claudius  Lysias,  commandant  of 
Antonia,  received  a  call  from  one  of  the  centurions 
of  the  garrison.  "The  prisoner  Paul,"  said  that 
officer  with  a  grimace,  "  asked  me  to  fetch  this  young 
man  to  you  ;  he  has  something  to  tell  you." 

Lysias  surveyed  his  visitor  curiously,  then  seeing 
that  he  was  hardly  more  than  a  child,  and  that  he  was 
evidently  terrified  at  his  surroundings,  good-naturedly 
took  him  by  the  hand  and  led  him  out  of  ear-shot  of 
the  soldiers.  "  What  is  it  that  thou  hast  to  tell  me, 
my  child?"  he  said  kindly. 

"  The  Jews  have  agreed  to  desire  thee  that  thou 
wouldst  bring  down  Paul  to-morrow  into  the  council," 
half-whispered  the  lad,  fixing  his  eyes  anxiously  upon 
the  bronzed  and  bearded  face  of  the  soldier  ;  "  but  do 
not  thou  yield  unto  them  ;  for  there  lie  in  wait  for  him 
more  than  forty  men,  which  have  bound  themselves 
with  an  oath  that  they  will  neither  eat  nor  drink  till 
they  have  killed  him  ;  and  now  they  are  ready,  look 
ing  for  a  promise  from  thee." 

26 


402  PAUL. 

"  By  all  the  gods  of  the  infernal  regions  !"  began 
the  chief  captain,  then  he  stopped  short. — "  Thou 
mayst  go,  my  lad,"  he  said  shortly,  "and  make  thy 
self  easy  concerning  the  man  Paul ;  we  shall  find  a 
way  to  keep  these  agreeable  compatriots  of  his  hungry 
and  thirsty  for  some  days  yet.  But  see  that  thou  keep 
a  close  tongue  in  thy  head ;  tell  no  one  what  thou 
hast  told  me." 

At  nine  o'clock  that  same  evening  Lysias  dispatched 
the  prisoner  to  Caesarea  under  an  escort  of  nearly  five 
hundred  men. 

"  See  that  ye  deliver  this  man  safe  and  uninjured 
unto  the  governor,"  he  charged  the  centurions  whom 
he  placed  in  command  of  the  troops. 


PAUL  AND  FELIX.  403 


CHAPTER   XXXVIII. 

PAUL    AND    FELIX. 

FELIX  CLAUDIUS,  the  worshipful  procurator  of 
Judaea,  was  apparently  lost  in  thought.  He  sat 
motionless  in  his  massive  carven  chair,  quite  oblivious 
it  would  seem,  to  the  fact  that  one  of  his  attendants 
had  been  kneeling  before  him  for  full  five  minutes, 
holding  out  at  arm's  length  a  salver  upon  which  re 
posed  a  letter.  The  eyes  of  the  great  man  were  fixed 
stolidly  upon  the  point  of  his  gold-embossed  sandal, 
and  the  expression  of  his  heavy  sensual  face  was  a  de 
gree  more  savage  and  gloomy  than  was  its  wont.  On 
either  side  stood  four  slaves,  silent  and  rigid  as  the 
kneeling  page,  but  not  the  less  apprehensively-ob 
servant  of  the  man  in  the  chair. 

After  a  time  the  central  figure  in  this  singular  group 
raised  his  eyes  to  the  face  of  the  kneeling  slave.  As 
the  moments  dragged  by  it  could  be  seen  that  the  man 
was  suffering  slow  torture  under  the  merciless  un 
winking  stare ;  his  legs  trembled  beneath  him,  his 
hands  clutched  convulsively  at  the  edges  of  the  salver, 
great  beads  of  moisture  started  out  upon  his  livid  fore 
head.  Felix  Claudius  smiled  evilly ;  he  reached  out 
and  took  the  letter,  which  he  proceeded  to  open  and 
read  with  deliberation. 


404  PAUL. 

"  Claudius  Lysias  to  the  most  excellent  governor 
Felix  :  Greeting.  The  prisoner  whom  I  send  you  was 
seized  by  the  Jews,  and  was  on  the  point  of  being 
killed  by  them  when  I  came  down  upon  them  \vith  a 
guard  and  rescued  him,  for  I  learned  that  he  was  a 
Roman  citizen.  As  I  wished  to  know  the  offence 
which  the  Jews  had  to  allege  against  him,  I  took  him 
down  to  their  Sanhedrim,  and  there  I  found  that  the 
accusations  related  to  certain  questions  of  their  law, 
but  that  nothing  worthy  of  death  or  imprisonment  was 
charged  against  him.  And  now  having  received  in 
formation  that  a  plot  has  been  made  against  the  man's 
life,  I  forthwith  send  him  to  you  ;  at  the  same  time  I 
have  notified  his  accusers  to  bring  their  charges  before 
you.  Farewell." 

The  procurator  crumpled  the  parchment  with  a 
smothered  oath.  "  Fetch  in  the  prisoner  and  the 
centurions,"  he  commanded  briefly. 

The  slave  who  still  knelt  before  him  arose  to  his 
feet  with  a  cringing  obeisance  and  retreated  backward 
to  the  door.  The  centurions  were  evidently  waiting 
in  the  ante-room,  for  they  entered  at  once,  the  prisoner 
walking  between  them.  The  contrast  between  the 
fine  soldierly  presence  of  the  officers  and  the  small, 
stoop-shouldered,  shabby  figure  of  the  prisoner  was 
strikingly  apparent  as  the  three  advanced ;  the  pro 
curator  thrust  out  his  under  lip  with  a  sneering 
smile. 

"  From  what  province  art  thou  ?" 

"I   am  a  Jew  of  Tarsus,  of  Cilicia,"  replied  the 


PA  UL  AND  FELIX.  405 

prisoner  looking  calmly  into  the  face  of  his  judge. 
"  I  am — " 

But  Felix  interrupted  him  with  an  arrogant  gesture. 
"  I  will  hear  your  case  when  your  accusers  are  come. 
— Take  the  man  away,  and  put  him  under  guard  in 
Herod's  judgment  hall." 

Five  days  later  the  high  priest  Ananias,  with  a 
number  of  the  Sanhedrists,  and  "  a  certain  orator 
named  Tertullus,"  whom  they  had  employed  to  argue 
their  side  of  the  case,  arrived  in  Caesarea.  They 
lost  no  time  in  presenting  themselves  before  the  gov 
ernor. 

After  the  customary  preliminaries,  Tertullus  was 
introduced.  The  lawyer  prefaced  his  accusation  with 
a  fulsome  eulogy  upon  the  wisdom,  discretion,  and 
energy  of  the  procurator.  "  Under  whom,"  he  de 
clared  unctuously  "  we  have  enjoyed  great  peace  and 
prosperity.  Seeing,"  he  continued  with  a  flourish  of 
his  hand,  "that  very  worthy  national  reforms  have 
been  brought  about  through  thy  excellent  wisdom, 
we  are  ready  to  accept  the  decrees  of  that  wisdom 
always,  and  in  all  places,  most  noble  Felix,  with  all 
thankfulness.*  But  in  order  that  I  be  not  further 
tedious  unto  thee,  I  beseech  thee  to  hear  us  briefly  of 
thy  clemency.  We  have  found  this  man  a  pestilent 
fellow,  one  that  is  continually  stirring  up  insurrections 

*  The  facts  concerning  the  rule  of  Felix  were  of  a  widely 
different  complexion ;  he  had  made  use  of  his  power  from  the 
beginning  to  oppress  and  impoverish  the  nation,  and  was  there, 
fore  peculiaily  detested  and  feared  by  all  the  Jews. 


406  PAUL. 

among  the  Jews  throughout  the  habitable  world ;  he 
is  also  a  ringleader  of  the  sect  of  the  Nazarenes. 
More  than  this,  he  deliberately  attempted  to  profane 
the  temple  ;  but  when  we  seized  him  and  were  about 
to  judge  him  according  to  our  law,  the  chief  captain 
Lysias  came  upon  us,  and  with  great  violence  took 
him  out  of  our  hands.  He  then  commanded  that  the 
case  should  appear  before  thee,  by  whom  also  thou 
wilt  be  able  to  corroborate  these  charges,  after  having 
thyself  examined  the  man." 

From  this  speech  it  may  be  seen  that  there  were 
three  counts  in  the  indictment  against  Paul  :  first,  he 
was  a  dangerous  disturber  of  the  peace,  an  offence 
against  the  Roman  government  amounting  to  high 
treason  ;  second,  he  was  a  ringleader  of  the  Naza 
renes,  which  involved  infringement  of  the  laws  of 
Moses  ;  third,  he  had  attempted  to  profane  the  tem 
ple  at  Jerusalem,  a  capital  offence  according  to  the  law 
of  both  nations,  since  Rome  recognized  thus  far  the 
Judaic  code. 

The  complaint  having  been  thus  formally  lodged, 
the  members  of  the  Sanhedrim  who  were  present  arose 
one  after  another  and  vehemently  confirmed  the  same  ; 
intimating  that  since  Lysias  had  improperly  exercised 
his  powers  in  forcibly  removing  the  prisoner  during  his 
ecclesiastical  trial,  it  now  remained  for  Felix  to  make  the 
matter  right  by  returning  the  offender  into  their  hands. 

Felix  listened  stolidly  without  question  or  comment. 
After  the  Jews  had  finished  speaking  he  motioned  to 
the  prisoner  to  advance. 


PA  UL  AND  FELIX.  407 

"  Knowing  that  thou  hast  been  judge  over  this  na 
tion  for  many  years,"  began  the  defendant,  "  I  answer 
for  myself  in  the  matters  brought  against  me  with  the 
greater  confidence.  For  it  is  in  thy  power  to  learn 
that  only  twelve  days  have  passed  since  I  went  up  to 
Jerusalem  to  worship.  And  neither  in  the  temple,  nor 
in  the  synagogues,  nor  in  the  streets,  did  these  my 
accusers  find  me  disputing  with  any  man,  or  causing 
any  disorderly  concourse  of  people  ;  nor  can  they 
prove  against  me  the  things  wherewith  they  now  charge 
me.  But  this  I  acknowledge  to  thee,  that  after  the 
way  that  they  call  sect,  so  I  serve  the  God  of  my 
fathers,  believing  all  things  which  are  written  in  the 
law  and  in  the  prophets,  and  having  a  hope  towards 
God — which  they  themselves  entertain,  that  there  will 
be  a  resurrection  of  the  dead,*  both  of  the  just  and 
of  the  unjust.  Wherefore  I  strive  earnestly  to  pre 
serve  a  conscience  always  void  of  offence  towards  God 
and  man. 

"  Now  after  many  years  I  came  hither  to  bring  alms 
to  my  nation  and  offerings  ;  and  they  found  me  so 
doing  in  the  temple  after  I  had  been  purified,  neither 
with  multitude  nor  with  tumult.  But  certain  Jews 
from  Asia  came  upon  me — who  should  have  appeared 
here  before  thee  to  accuse  me,  if  they  had  aught 
against  me.  Or  let  these  men  who  are  present,  say 


*  This  shows  that  the  Pharisees  were  the  principal  accusers 
of  Paul,  and  that  therefore  the  effect  produced  upon  them  by 
his  speech  before  the  Sanhedrim  was  only  momentary. 


408  PA  UL. 

whether  they  found  me  guilty  of  any  offence  when  I 
stood  before  the  Sanhedrim,  except  it  be  for  this  one 
word  which  I  cried  out  as  I  stood  in  the  midst  of  them  : 
Touching  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  I  am  called  in 
question  by  you  this  day  !" 

Felix  had  not  lived  six  years  among  the  Jews  with 
out  learning  something  of  their  characteristics.  He 
had  had  dealings  on  more  than  one  occasion  with  these 
slippery  rabbins  from  Jerusalem,  and  while  he  thor 
oughly  detested  them,  he  was  anxious  for  private  rea 
sons  of  his  own  to  remain  on  good  terms  with  them 
for  the  present  at  least.  Of  the  sect  of  the  Nazarenes 
he  knew  more  than  the  Sanhedrists  gave  him  credit 
for ;  this  new  religion  had  penetrated  even  among  the 
Roman  troops  which  were  stationed  at  Caesarea.* 
Religion  in  general  did  not  interest  Felix,  but  these 
soldiers  were  brave,  obedient,  easily  controlled,  fur 
ther  than  that  he  neither  knew  nor  cared.  As  for  the 
prisoner,  his  interests  were  quite  naturally  considered 
last ,  the  man  was  evidently  innocent,  but  it  would 
not  do  to  say  so ;  moreover,  there  were  two  words 
in  his  defence  which  possessed  a  deep  interest  for  his 
judge,  those  two  words  were  "alms  and  offerings." 
"  If  the  Jew  has  resources,"  quoth  Felix  to  himself, 
"  he  shall  pay  me  roundly  for  the  trouble  I  have  taken 
before  he  tastes  of  liberty." 

For  some  moments  after  the  prisoner  had  finished 
his  defence  this  righteous  arbitrator  remained  silent, 
then  with  a  show  of  great  prudence  and  fairness,  he 

*  See  Acts  x.  1-48. 


PA  UL  AND  FELIX.  409 

announced  that  it  would  be  impossible  for  him  to 
arrive  at  any  decision  in  the  matter  until  he  had  col 
lected  further  evidence.  "  When  Lysias,  the  chief 
captain,  shall  come  down,"  he  said,  "I  will  know  the 
uttermost  of  your  matter." 

In  pursuance  of  his  plans  he  gave  Paul  in  charge  to 
one  of  his  centurions,  directing  him  to  show  the  man 
due  consideration,  and  more  especially  to  allow  him 
free  communication  with  his  friends.  The  prisoner 
was  accordingly  removed  to  the  guard-house,  where 
a  long  light  chain  was  riveted  about  the  wrist  of  his 
right  hand  ;  the  other  end  of  the  chain  was  fastened 
to  the  left  hand  of  a  common  soldier,  who  became 
answerable  with  his  life  for  the  security  of  the  prisoner. 
This  chain  was  never  to  be  loosed  day  or  night,  save 
when  the  soldiers  relieved  one  another.* 

It  shortly  transpired  that  the  worthy  governor  had 
other  and  more  agreeable  business  on  hand  than  the 
trying  of  Jewish  suspects.  The  very  next  day  he 
departed  from  Caesarea  with  a  large  retinue  of  slaves 
and  soldiers,  leaving  minute  directions  for  the  refitting 
and  furnishing  of  certain  apartments  in  the  palace, 
known  as  the  queen's  wing.  There  was  much  anxious 
conjecture  in  all  circles  of  Caesarean  society  as  to 
what  these  things  should  portend,  but  all  suspense 
was  shortly  put  to  an  end  by  the  return  of  the  gov 
ernor  himself  in  the  character  of  a  triumphant  bride- 

*  This  form  of  imprisonment  was  known  as  the  cosfodia 
militaris  ;  it  is  clearly  indicated  by  the  statement  that  Paul  was 
given  to  a  centurion  to  keep. 


410  PAUL. 

groom.  The  Roman  matrons  smiled  and  whispered 
behind  their  fans  ;  while  the  discontented  murmuring 
in  the  Jewish  quarters  grew  loud  and  threatening. 
The  bride,  it  appeared,  was  none  other  than  the  beau 
tiful  princess  Drusilla,  youngest  daughter  of  Herod 
Agrippa,  reared  by  her  mother  as  a  rigid  Jewess.  She 
had  been  enticed  from  the  protection  of  her  lawful 
husband,  it  was  said,  by  the  skillful  machinations  of 
the  Cyprian  sorcerer,  Simon  Magus,*  who  had  been 
for  some  time  an  important  member  of  the  proconsular 
household.  What  subtle  arts  were  employed  to  induce 
this  beautiful  girl  of  twenty  to  leave  the  young  and 
handsome  prince  of  Aziz  for  the  elderly  and  cruel 
profligate  who  had  once  been  the  slave  of  her  father, 
could  only  be  guessed  at.  She  took  no  one  into  her 
confidence,  and  met  the  polite  innuendoes  of  the 
Roman  courtiers  with  the  same  freezing  hauteur  which 
she  displayed  toward  the  infuriated  hierarchs  of  her 
own  nation. 

Not  many  days  after  her  installation  in  the  Caesa- 
rean  palace  the  princess  learned  from  one  of  her 
attendants  that  Paul,  the  famous  Nazarene,  was  impri 
soned  in  one  of  the  dungeons  of  the  palace. 

"  I  should  like  to  see  this  Paul,"  she  said  languidly 
to  the  man  whom  she  chose  for  the  present  to  call 
husband.  "  They  tell  me  that  he  can  perform  mira 
cles,  as  did  the  Nazarene  himself.  It  will  amuse  me ; 
so  far  I  do  not  find  Caesarea  amusing." 

"Thou  shalt  see  the  man  and  at  once,"  answered 

*  Josephus,  Antiq.,  xx.,  7,  \  2.     See  also  Acts  viii.,  9-24. 


PAUL  AND  FELIX.  411 

Felix  promptly ;  "  I  will  order  him  to  be  fetched  to 
the  judgment-hall." 

"  But  if  I  choose  to  see  him  here?" 

"  Thou  wilt  not  choose  to  see  him  here,  light  of  my 
eyes." 

The  princess  lifted  her  brows  haughtily.  "  What 
didst  thou  swear  to  me?"  she  demanded. 

"  That  thy  word  should  be  law,  daughter  of  Agrippa. 
But  from  henceforth  I  am  that  word.  Dost  thou 
understand  me?" 

Drusilla's  black  eyes  blazed  ;  her  scarlet  lips  trem 
bled.  "  Slave  !"  she  cried,  springing  to  her  feet,  "  was 
it  for  this  I  left  the  man  who  adored  me  ?  I  will  stay 
here  no  longer  ;  I  will  go  back  to  my  husband  !" 

Felix  took  two  steps  across  the  room  and  caught 
her  slim  wrists  in  a  grip  of  steel.  "  Look  at  me,"  he 
said  in  a  low  voice. 

The  girl  slowly  and  sullenly  raised  her  eyes. 

"  Go  back  to  Aziz  if  thou  wilt.  Ay — go  back  to 
thy  Jewish  rabbis.  Go  where  thou  wilt  and  when 
thou  wilt ;  thou  art  free  as  air." 

The  scarlet  lips  were  white  now.  "  I — I  cannot. 
They  would  kill  me — I — " 

"  Nay,  princess,  tears  do  not  become  thee ;"  and 
the  man  laughed  mockingly.  "  We  will  go  now  to 
the  judgment-hall,  shall  we  not?  And  the  prisoner 
shall  entertain  thee  with  his  magic." 

And  so  it  happened  that  Paul  was  again  summoned 
into  the  august  presence  of  the  governor  of  Judaea. 
"  Thou   mayst  expound  to  us  this  matter   of  the 


412  PAUL. 

crucified  man,"  said  Felix  with  an  easy  wave  of  the 
hand.  "  This  lady  is  curious  concerning  the  matter." 

Then  did  Paul  preach  unto  those  twain  Christ  cruci 
fied.  And  as  he  reasoned  of  righteousness,  of  temper 
ance  and  of  judgment  to  come,  Felix  trembled,  even 
as  he  had  once  trembled  beneath  the  lash.  A  strange 
unearthly  power  streamed  forth  from  the  presence  of 
this  chained  prisoner ;  those  searching  grey  eyes 
seemed  to  pierce  to  the  furthest  limits  of  the  darkened 
and  narrow  soul  of  the  man,  and  lust,  murder,  greed, 
hatred  and  all  the  host  of  noisome  things  within  writhed 
and  twisted  in  agony  beneath  the  unwonted  flood  of 
light  which  was  suddenly  poured  in  upon  them. 

"  Hold !"  cried  out  the  tortured  man  at  length, 
wiping  the  great  drops  from  his  forehead,  "  Go  thy 
way  for  this  time  ;  when  I  have  a  convenient  season  I 
will  call  for  thee." 

"What  ailed  thee  when  the  man  was  talking?" 
enquired  Drusilla  of  her  lord  and  master,  after  the 
prisoner  had  been  removed  ;  "  for  myself  I  found  him 
very  dull.  Why  didst  thou  not  command  him  to  per 
form  a  wonder  for  me  ?" 

Felix  answered  her  never  a  word.  Yet  after  a 
while  he  was  ready  to  laugh  and  sneer  as  before.  The 
light  had  disappeared  and  all  the  brood  of  creatures 
within  his  soul  drowsed  contentedly  once  more.  "  The 
man  hath  an  evil  eye  !"  he  cried  with  a  great  oath. 
"  I  swear  that  I  believe  all  that  the  Jews  have  said 
of  him." 

Nevertheless  he  sent  for  him  more  than  once  in  pri- 


PAUL  AND  FELIX.  413 

vate,  and  inti-mated  in  no  uncertain  terms  that  if  a  sum 
of  money  sufficiently  great  were  forthcoming,  he 
should  be  at  once  liberated. 

"  If  I  have  done  no  evil,"  said  the  prisoner  on  one 
of  these  occasions,  "  freedom  is  mine  according  to  the 
law ;  but  if  I  am  guilty,  thou  canst  not  lawfully  sell 
me  my  liberty." 

"  I  am  the  law  !"  cried  Felix  fiercely  ;  "  thou  shalt 
wear  thy  chain  during  my  pleasure." 

And  so  passed  away  two  years.  At  the  end  of  that 
time  there  was  a  great  cry  made  in  the  streets  of  Cae- 
sarea.  The  never-ending  feud  between  the  Jews  and 
Greeks  had  come  at  length  to  a  head  ;  there  was  a 
fierce  battle  in  the  market-place,  in  which  the  Greeks 
were  worsted  at  the  hands  of  their  antagonists.  When 
suddenly  the  procurator  at  the  head  of  his  cohorts  ap 
peared  on  the  scene  and  ordered  the  rioters  to  disperse. 
As  his  commands  were  not  instantly  obeyed,  he  let 
loose  his  soldiers  upon  them.  A  great  slaughter  of 
the  insurgents  ensued,  and  the  massacre  was  followed 
by  a  general  plundering  of  the  houses  of  the  wealthier 
Jews.  This  was  not  to  be  borne,  the  heads  of  the 
nation  arose  in  their  might  and  demanded  the  instant 
dismissal  of  the  offending  governor.  He  was  at  once 
recalled  to  Rome  to  answer  to  the  charges  against  him 
before  Nero. 

"What  of  the  prisoner,  Paulus,  your  excellency?" 
asked  one  of  the  centurions  on  the  eve  of  his  depar 
ture.  "  Wilt  thou  that  we  release  the  man?" 

"Release  him?  No,"  growled  Felix.     "Leave  him 


414  PAUL. 

as  he  is.  It  may  pacify  those  accursed  Jews  to  know 
that  I  have  left  the  man  bound,"  he  added  ;  "  they  will 
at  all  events  have  one  less  count  against  me." 

On  the  following  day  he  departed  for  Rome  with 
the  woman  Drusilla  and  their  son,  who  was  called 
Agrippa.* 

*  Little  further  is  known  of  the  career  of  this  man,  except 
that  he  was  compelled  to  disgorge  the  greater  part  of  his  ill- 
gotten  wealth.  He  seems  at  once  to  have  dropped  back  into 
the  obscurity  from  which  he  emerged.  Drusilla  with  her  son 
is  said  to  have  perished  at  Herculaneum  during  an  eruption  cf 
Vesuvius  which  took  place  some  nineteen  years  later. 


"C&SAREM  APPELLO!"  415 


CHAPTER   XXXIX. 

"  C^ESAREM    APPELLO  !" 

JERUSALEM  was  in  a  ferment  of  excitement ; 
people  of  every  nationality,  clad  in  every  variety 
of  holiday  garb,  jostled  one  another  in  the  narrow 
streets,  or  overflowed  the  market-places.  The  temple 
courts  were  crowded ;  all  day  long  countless  sacrifices 
smoked  upon  its  altars.  In  the  wider  streets  and 
squares  and  from  the  battlemented  walls  resounded 
the  continuous  blare  of  trumpets,  the  clash  of  arms, 
and  the  low  thunder  of  marching  cohorts.  Every 
where  glittered  the  Roman  eagle,  hated  symbol  of 
Gentile  supremacy  and  national  degradation.  Porcius 
Festus,  the  new  procurator  of  Judaea,  had  arrived,  and 
Jerusalem  bade  him  welcome. 

While  his  excellency  was  busily  occupied  in  re 
viewing  the  troops  and  inspecting  the  walls  and  forti 
fications  of  the  city,  the  Sanhedrim  held  an  important 
session.  As  the  ecclesiastical  heads  of  the  nation  it 
devolved  upon  them  to  formally  recognize  the  newly- 
arrived  official  ;  there  were  also  certain  matters  to  be 
laid  before  him,  the  settlement  of  which  had  already 
been  too  long  delayed  during  the  lax  and  disgraceful 
rule  of  Felix.  A  dsputation  was  chosen  to  wait  upon 
the  procurator  of  \\hich  the  high  priest,  Ishmael  Ben 


416  PA  UL. 

Phabi,  recently  appointed  by  Agrippa  II.,  was  the 
natural  head. 

At  a  set  time  these  dignitaries  presented  themselves 
with  great  pomp  and  state  in  the  audience-chamber  of 
the  Asmonean  palace.  The  tedious  formalities  suita 
ble  to  the  occasion  having  been  duly  observed,  the 
spokesman  of  the  deputation  proceeded  to  make 
known  among  other  matters  one  of  the  principal  ob 
jects  of  the  interview.  "  There  is  a  certain  man 
named  Paul  who  has  been  under  bonds  in  Caesarea 
for  two  years  past,"  began  this  person,  who  was  no 
other  than  the  ex-high  priest,  Ananias.  "  He  is  a 
mischievous  person,  most  excellent  Festus,  and  a 
transgressor  of  the  law  of  Moses  ;  he  was  arrested  by 
us  in  an  attempt  to  profane  our  holy  temple,  an  offense 
which  thou  knowest  to  be  punishable  with  death. 
Moreover  he  hath  been  guilty  of  numerous  and  hein 
ous  offenses  against  the  Roman  government,  having 
in  times  past  stirred  up  insurrections  against  Caesar  in 
many  provinces,  as  also  here  in  this  holy  city.  We 
therefore  unite  in  requesting  that  thou  wilt  cause  this 
man  to  be  fetched  at  once  to  Jerusalem,  and  that  thou 
wilt  deliver  him  into  our  hands  that  we  may  deal  with 
him  after  our  law." 

Porcius  Festus  listened  to  this  bold  request  with 
astonishment  not  unmingled  with  displeasure.  "  It  is 
not  the  custom  of  Rome,"  he  said  haughtily,  "to  de 
liver  any  man  to  death  by  way  of  doing  a  favor  ;  but 
to  place  accused  and  accusers  face  to  face,  giving  the 
accused  a  full  opportunity  for  his  defense.  This 


"CJSSAEEMJCPPELLOr*  417 

prisoner  of  whom  you  speak  shall  remain  in  Caesarea, 
whither  I  myself  propose  shortly  to  return.  Let 
those  of  you  therefore  who  are  able  to  do  so,  re 
turn  with  me  and  prefer  the  charges  against  him 
there." 

The  Sanhedrists  withdrew  from  the  presence  of 
Festus  full  of  rage  and  disappointment.  They  had 
made  so  sure  of  their  request  that  they  had  already 
hired  assassins  to  make  way  with  their  hated  enemy 
on  the  road  between  Caesarea  and  Jerusalem.  It  was 
evident  that  this  new  procurator  could  not  easily  be 
intimidated,  but  they  nevertheless  resorted  to  their  old 
plan  of  "stirring  up  the  people."*  During  the  few 
days  that  Festus  remained  in  Jerusalem,  crowds  of 
turbulent  Jews  surrounded  his  palace  night  and  day 
loudly  demanding  the  death  of  Paul.  And  when  he 
returned  to  the  political  capitol  a  noisy  multitude  of 
Caesarean  Jews  greeted  him  with  the  cry,  "Away 
with  Paul !  Away  with  him !  Away  with  such  a 
fellow  from  the  earth  !" 

Festus  needed  no  further  urging  to  prompt  action  in 
the  matter ;  on  the  very  next  day  after  his  arrival  in 
Caesarea,  he  commanded  that  the  hearing  should  take 
place. 

The  Sanhedrists  were  present  in  full  force  ;  on  this 
occasion  they  had  hired  no  lawyer  to  present  their 
cause,  but  preferred  their  accusations  themselves  with 
all  the  vehemence  and  fury  of  rancorous  hatred. 

As  at  his   first  trial,  the  prisoner  steadily  asserted 

*  Mark  xv.,  n,  Acts  vi.,  12;  xiii.,  50;  xiv.,  2. 

27 


418  PAUL. 

his  innocence  of  every  charge.  "  Neither  against  the 
law  of  the  Jews,"  he  declared,  "nor  against  the  tem 
ple,  nor  yet  against  Caesar,  have  I  offended  in  any  way 
whatsoever." 

Scarcely  were  the  words  out  of  his  mouth  when 
the  Jews  cried  out  the  more  fiercely,  demanding  his 
death. 

Festus  surveyed  the  scene  with  manifest  displeasure  ; 
to  the  dignified,  just,  order-loving  Roman  these 
bearded  and  turbaned  rabbis  with  their  fierce  dark 
faces  and  strident  voices  afforded  a  strange  and 
odious  spectacle.  At  the  same  time  he  knew  full  well 
that  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  ingratiate  himself  with 
them,  since  otherwise  he  could  hope  for  nothing  save 
a  speedy  and  disgraceful  recall  to  Rome.  He  saw  as 
plainly  that  the  case  in  hand  had  nothing  to  do  with 
Roman  law,  that  it  was  simply  a  matter  of  tedious  and 
incomprehensible  religious  fanaticism,  concerning  which 
it  would  be  impossible  for  him  to  judge.  He  turned 
to  the  prisoner,  whose  calm  dignified  demeanor  in  the 
face  of  his  furious  enemies  had  impressed  him  most 
favorably.  "Wilt  thou  go  up  to  Jerusalem,"  he  said, 
"and  there  be  judged  of  these  matters  under  my  pro 
tection?" 

The  prisoner  straightened  his  bowed  shoulders,  his 
worn  and  pallid  face  glowing  with  indignation.  "  I 
stand  at  Caesar's  judgment  seat,"  he  said  boldly,  "  and 
there  ought  my  trial  to  be.  To  the  Jews  I  have  done 
no  wrong,  as  thou  knowest  full  well.  If  I  am  guilty 
of  anything  which  is  worthy  of  death,  I  refuse  not  to 


"C^ESAREM  APPELLOr  419 

die  ;  but  if  the  things  whereof  these  men  accuse  me 
are  false,  no  man  can  give  me  up  to  them.  I  appeal 
unto  Caesar !" 

For  an  instant  there  was  silence  in  the  judgment 
hall  ;  the  two  words  "  Caesarem  appello  !"  had 
changed  the  whole  aspect  of  affairs.  The  Jews  glared 
at  their  intended  victim  in  transports  of  unavailing 
rage,  those  words  of  power  had  raised  in  an  instant 
between  the  man  and  their  fury  the  impassable  barrier 
of  Roman  law. 

Porcius  Festus  was  also  displeased  by  the  appeal ; 
to  be  thus  reminded  in  the  very  beginning  of  his  pro- 
curatorship  that  he  was  but  an  underling  of  the  em 
peror  was,  he  thought,  a  bad  omen  for  his  future  suc 
cess,  besides  he  had  meant  well  and  fairly  by  the  man  ; 
to  appeal  to  Caesar  was  not  only  unnecessary  on  the 
part  of  the  prisoner,  but  considering  the  complexion 
of  affairs  at  Rome  it  would  assuredly  prove  disastrous 
to  his  interests.  Festus,  however,  had  now  no  choice 
in  the  matter;  all  future  jurisdiction  in  the  case  was 
out  of  his  power ;  it  only  remained  for  him  to  decide 
whether  or  not  the  appeal  was  admissable  ;  on  this 
point  it  was  evident  that  there  could  be  no  doubt,  since 
the  accused  was  neither  a  pirate  nor  a  bandit. 

He  turned  to  the  prisoner,  after  the  brief  formalities 
relating  to  the  admission  of  the  appeal  had  been  fin 
ished,  and  pronounced  the  solemn  words,  "  Caesarem 
appellasti,  ad  Caesarem  ibis."* 

Two  days  later  Agrippa  II.,  the  last  of  the  Herods, 

*  "  To  Csesar  thou  hast  appealed  ;  to  Caesar  them  shalt  go." 


420  PA  UL. 

came  with  his  sister  Berenice,  to  proffer  their  con 
gratulations  to  the  newly-installed  procurator ;  it 
afforded  these  pseudo-royalties  a  fine  opportunity  of 
flaunting  their  phantom  magnificence,  and  at  the  same 
time  enabled  them  to  bespeak  the  good-will  of  their 
powerful  neighbor.  Agrippa  had  been  trained  from 
youth  in  all  the  minutiae  of  Jewish  law  and  theology ; 
he  was  legal  custodian  of  the  sacred  robes  and  guar 
dian  of  the  temple,  with  the  power  to  make  and  un 
make  high  priests  at  his  royal  pleasure. 

Festus  was,  therefore,  especially  glad  to  see  him  at 
this  time ;  it  gave  him  an  opportunity  of  consulting  a 
wise  authority  concerning  the  strange  prisoner  whom 
he  was  about  to  dispatch  to  Rome.  The  law  required 
that  a  full  statement  of  the  alleged  offences  must  be 
sent  with  the  prisoner  by  the  provincial  official,  and 
Festus  could  make  nothing  of  the  extravagant  state 
ments  of  the  rabbis. 

"  There  is  a  certain  man  left  here  in  bonds  by  Felix," 
he  said,  drawing  his  heavy  brows  together,  "  concern 
ing  whom,  when  I  was  at  Jerusalem,  the  chief  men  of 
the  nation  informed  me  ;  they  also  demanded  judgment 
against  him.  Romans  deliver  no  man  to  the  death,  I 
answered  them,  until  he  has  had  opportunity  to  defend 
himself  face  to  face  with  his  accusers.  They  came 
therefore  to  Caesarea,  and  I  called  the  case  without 
delay.  But  the  accusations  proved  to  be  nothing  but 
certain  questions  having  to  do  with  their  own  super 
stitions,  and  of  one  Jesus,  a  man  who  died  long  since, 
but  whom  Paul,  the  prisoner,  declares  to  be  alive. 


"C^SAREM  AKPELLOr*  421 

Because  I  knew  nothing  of  such  matters,  I  asked  the 
man  whether  he  would  go  to  Jerusalem  for  trial,  where 
upon  he  appealed  unto  the  emperor,  and  I  remanded 
him  to  the  prison  till  such  time  as  I  could  conveniently 
send  him  to  Rome." 

"  I  would  also  hear  the  man  myself,"  said  Agrippa. 

"Thou  shalt  hear  him  to-morrow,"  declared  Festus 
readily,  seeing  in  this  request  a  way  out  of  his  own 
perplexities.  Accordingly  on  the  day  following,  the 
proconsular  court,  the  chief  officers  of  the  army  and 
all  the  principal  men  of  the  city  were  invited  to  be 
present  in  the  council-chamber  of  the  palace.  Festus 
appeared  in  the  full  splendor  of  his  scarlet  paludament, 
attended  by  his  lictors  and  armed  body-guard.  On 
either  side  of  his  seat  of  state  was  placed  a  gilded 
chair  for  the  chief  guests  of  the  occasion,  to  gratify 
whose  pardonable  curiosity  this  imposing  function  had 
been  held.  They  entered  presently  in  magnificent 
state,  followed  by  an  imposing  retinue  of  attendants. 
The  young  Agrippa  wearing  the  glittering  crown  and 
purple  robes  of  royalty,  and  Berenice,  regally  beautiful 
in  the  trailing  amplitude  of  her  queenly  garb. 

At  a  given  signal  the  door  at  the  lower  end  of  the 
hall  was  thrown  open  and  the  prisoner,  chained  to  a 
soldier,  and  further  guarded  by  a  quaternion,  advanced 
into  the  open  space  reserved  in  front  of  the  dais. 
Every  eye  was  at  once  eagerly  fastened  upon  him. 
Many  had  never  seen  the  famous  captive.  Could  it 
be  possible  that  this  worn  feeble  old  man  was  the 
hated  apostate,  the  dangerous  fanatic,  the  inciter  of 


422  PA  UL. 

tumult  and  riots,  of  whom  they  had  heard  so  much  ? 
He  seemed  unembarrassed  and  unafraid  in  the  face  of 
all  that  brilliant  assembly ;  his  face  shone  with  a 
singular  joy,  as  if  his  thoughts  afforded  him  secret 
satisfaction. 

"  King  Agrippa,  and  all  who  are  here  present," 
began  Festus  with  stately  formality,  "ye  behold  this 
man  about  whom  all  the  multitude  of  the  Jews  have 
dealt  with  me,  both  at  Jerusalem  and  also  here  at 
Caesarea,  crying  out  that  he  ought  not  to  live  any 
longer.  When  I  found  that  he  had  done  nothing 
worthy  of  death,  and  since  he  appealed  to  Caesar,  I 
determined  to  send  him  to  Rome.  But  having  no 
clear  statement  regarding  the  man  to  make  to  my  lord 
the  emperor,  I  have  brought  him  forth  before  you, 
and  especially  before  thee,  O  king  Agrippa,  that  when 
thou  hast  examined  him,  I  may  have  somewhat  to 
write.  For  it  seemeth  to  me  unreasonable  to  send  a 
prisoner  to  Rome  without  signifying  the  crimes  alleged 
against  him."  Having  thus  introduced  the  prisoner, 
Festus  with  an  easy  wave  of  the  hand  signified  that 
the  man  was  now  at  the  disposal  of  his  royal  guest. 

Agrippa  accordingly  addressed  the  apostle  with 
haughty  condescension.  "Thou  art  permitted,"  he 
said,  "to  speak  for  thyself." 

"  I  think  myself  happy,  king  Agrippa,"  began  Paul, 
stretching  forth  his  manacled  right  hand  in  his  own 
familiar  way,  "  that  I  shall  defend  myself  to-day  before 
thee  against  all  the  charges  of  my  Jewish  accusers : 
especially  because  thou  art  expert  in  all  Jewish  cus- 


"C^ESAREM  APPELLO!"  423 

toms  and  questions.  Wherefore  I  pray  thee  to  hear 
me  patiently. 

"  My  manner  of  life  from  early  youth — which  was 
passed  among  my  own  nation  at  Jerusalem — is  known 
to  all  the  Jews.  They  know  me  from  the  first  and 
could  testify,  if  they  would,  that  according  to  the 
strictest  sect  of  our  religion,  I  lived  a  Pharisee.  And 
now  I  stand  here  to  be  judged  for  the  hope  of  the 
promise  made  by  God  unto  our  fathers.  Which 
promise  is  the  end  whereto,  in  all  their  zealous  worship 
night  and  day,  our  twelve  tribes  hope  to  come.  Yet 
this  hope,  O  king  Agrippa,  is  charged  against  me  as 
a  crime,  and  that  by  the  Jews.  What !  is  it  judged 
among  you  a  thing  incredible  that  God  should  raise 
the  dead  ? 

"  Now  I  myself  determined  in  my  own  mind  that  I 
ought  strenuously  to  oppose  the  name  of  Jesus  of 
Nazareth.  And  this  I  did  in  Jerusalem,  and  many  of 
the  saints  I  shut  up  in  prison,  having  received  from 
the  chief  priests  authority  to  do  so  ;  and  when  they 
were  condemned  to  death,  I  gave  my  vote  against 
them.  In  every  synagogue  I  continually  punished 
them,  and  endeavored  to  compel  them  to  blaspheme  ; 
and  being  exceedingly  mad  against  them,  I  pursued 
them  with  persecutions  even  unto  foreign  cities. 

"  With  this  purpose  I  was  on  my  way  to  Damascus, 
bearing  my  authority  and  commission  from  the  chief 
priests ;  when  I  saw  in  the  way,  O  king,  at  midday,  a 
light  from  heaven  above  the  brightness  of  the  sun, 
shining  round  about  me  and  them  which  journeyed 


424  PA  UL. 

with  me.  And  when  we  were  all  fallen  to  the  earth, 
I  heard  a  voice  speaking  to  me,  and  saying  in  the  He 
brew  tongue,  Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  me  ? 
It  is  hard  for  thee  to  kick  against  the  goad.  And  I 
said,  Who  art  thou,  Lord  ?  And  the  Lord  said,  I  am 
Jesus  whom  thou  persecutest.  But  rise  and  stand 
upon  thy  feet ;  for  to  this  end  I  have  appeared  unto 
thee,  to  ordain  thee  a  minister  and  a  witness  both  of 
these  things  which  thou  hast  seen,  and  of  those  things 
wherein  I  shall  appear  unto  thee.  And  thee  have  I 
chosen  from  the  house  of  Israel,  and  from  among  the 
Gentiles  ;  unto  whom  I  now  send  thee,  to  open  their 
eyes,  that  they  may  turn  from  darkness  to  light,  and 
from  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God  ;  that  they  may  re 
ceive  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  an  inheritance  among  the 
sanctified  by  faith  in  me. 

"  Wherefore,  O  king  Agrippa,  I  was  not  disobedient 
to  the  heavenly  vision.  But  first  to  those  at  Damascus 
and  Jerusalem,  and  throughout  all  the  land  of  Judaea, 
and  also  to  the  Gentiles,  I  proclaimed  the  tidings  that 
they  should  repent  and  return  to  God,  and  do  works 
worthy  of  their  repentance. 

"  For  these  causes  the  Jews,  when  they  caught  me 
in  the  temple,  endeavored  to  kill  me. 

"  Having  therefore  obtained  help  of  God,  I  stand 
firm  unto  this  day,  and  bear  my  testimony  both  to 
small  and  great ;  but  I  declare  nothing  else  than 
what  the  prophets  and  Moses  foretold,  that  the  Mes 
siah  should  suffer,  and  that  he  should  be  the  first 
to  rise  from  the  dead,  and  should  be  the  messen- 


"C^SAREM  AFPELLO  !"  425 

ger  of  light  to  the  house  of  Israel,  and  also  to  the 
Gentiles."* 

At  this  allusion  to  the  resurrection  from  the  dead, 
which  sounded  like  the  wildest  folly  in  the  ears  of  the 
worldly  Roman,  Festus  cried  out  loudly,  "  Paul,  thou  art 
beside  thyself;  much  learning  doth  make  thee  mad  !" 

"  I  am  not  mad,  most  noble  Festus,"  answered  the 
prisoner  steadily,  "  but  I  speak  forth  the  words  of  truth 
and  soberness.  For  the  king  hath  knowledge  of  these 
matters  ;  and  moreover,  I  speak  before  him  with  bold 
ness,  since  I  am  persuaded  that  nothing  of  all  this  is 
unknown  to  him,  for  this  was  not  done  in  a  corner. 
King  Agrippa,  believest  thou  the  prophets  ?  I  know 
that  thou  believest." 

The  Jewish  prince  stirred  uneasily  in  his  chair,  the 
light  of  those  compelling  eyes  was  fixed  full  upon  him  ; 
he  attempted  to  put  down  the  look  with  his  customary 
haughty  stare,  but  his  own  eyes  fell.  He  shrugged 
his  shoulders  with  feigned  indifference,  exclaiming  with 
a  derisive  smile,  "Almost  thou  persuadest  me  to  be  a 
Christian  !" 

"  I  would  to  God,"  answered  Paul  with  a  pathetic 
movement  of  his  chained  right  hand,  "that  not  only 
thou,  but  also  all  that  hear  me  this  day,  were  both 
almost  and  altogether  such  as  I  am,  except  these 
bonds  !" 

The  hearing  was  at  an  end  ;  the  governor,  observing 
the  embarrassment  of  Agrippa,  had  signaled  to  the  cen- 

*  This  rendering-  follows  in  the  main  that  of  Conybeare  and 
Howson  ;  see  "  Life  and  Epistles  of  St.  Paul." 


426  PAUL. 

turion  to  remove  the  prisoner.  Then  rising  he  swept 
from  the  judgment-hall  with  his  guests,  followed  by  all 
the  brilliant  throng  of  soldiers,  courtiers  and  lackeys. 

There  was  much  gay  laughter  and  light  jesting 
among  the  ladies  of  Berenice,  as  they  passed  into  the 
more  cheerful  apartments  of  the  palace  ;  the  princess 
herself  shrugged  her  fair  shoulders  with  a  frown. 

"  That  dreadful  old  man  has  quite  given  me  the 
shivers,"  she  said  petulantly.  "  It  was  certainly  most 
insolent  of  him  to  address  his  royal  highness,  Agrippa, 
in  the  bold  manner  that  he  did.  As  his  excellency  the 
governor  remarked,  the  man  is  doubtless  mad  ;  but  it 
seemeth  to  me  it  can  hardly  be  a  madness  induced  by 
overmuch  learning  ;  'tis  more  likely  that  the  prison 
walls  have  engendered  strange  and  foolish  fancies 
within  his  brain.  How  horrible  to  be  chained  to  an 
odious  soldier  all  the  time."  With  that  this  amiable 
and  virtuous  princess  dismissed  the  subject  from  her 
mind  ;  there  were  so  many  other  more  interesting  and 
important  questions  relating  to  her  jewels,  her  robes, 
her  lovers,  her  intrigues,  and  the  care  of  her  exquisite 
body,  that  indeed  she  could  scarcely  be  expected  to 
bestow  very  much  of  her  royal  attention  upon  a  chained, 
shabby,  mad  old  fanatic. 

Festus  and  Agrippa  conversed  of  the  matter  more 
seriously.  "  The  man  hath  done  nothing  worthy  of 
death  or  of  bonds,"  said  the  procurator  decidedly. 

Agrippa  agreed  to  this.  "  The  fellow  might  have 
been  set  at  liberty,"  he  added  with  a  suppressed  yawn, 
"  if  he  had  not  appealed  to  Caesar." 


ON  THE  WA  Y  TO  ROME  427 


CHAPTER  XL. 

ON    THE   WAY    TO    ROME. 

"TT^ROM  Fair  Havens  to  Phenice  is  but  four  and 
A.  thirty  miles,  sir,"  said  the  master  of  the  Alex 
andrian  wheat  ship,  Artemis,  staring  thoughtfully  out 
to  sea.  "This  is  no  place  to  winter  in,"  he  went 
on,  glancing  with  a  frown  at  the  rocky  headlands  off 
their  weather  bow.  "We  get  every  wind  that  blows 
here,  except  the  Etesians.*  I  am  owner  of  this  ship 
as  well  as  master,  and  I  am  willing  to  risk  her  and  the 
cargo  as  far  as  Phenice  ;  but  it  is  for  you  to  say,  sir." 

The  Roman  centurion,  Julius,  in  command  of  a 
cohort  and  charged  with  certain  prisoners  of  state  on 
board  the  Artemis,  followed  the  eye  of  the  master. 
"  I  am  no  sailor,  good  Polybius,"  he  said  at  length 
somewhat  dubiously,  "  but  if  we  must  winter  here 
abouts,  Phenice  is  surely  preferable  to  yonder  desolate 
place.  If  you  think  it  safe,  let  us  get  under  way  at 
once." 

"  Sirs,  I  crave  your  attention." 

The  centurion  turned,  "Ah,  Paulus,"  he  said  with  a 
certain  deference  in  his  manner  at  which  the  sailor 
stared  open-mouthed  ;  "  what  wilt  thou  ?" 

"  If  we  loose   from  this  harbor,  I  perceive  that  the 

*  The  North-West  winds. 


428  PAUL. 

voyage  will  be  with  hurt  and  much  damage,  not  only 
to  the  lading  and  ship,  but  also  to  our  lives." 

The  captain  laughed  contemptuously.  "Who  is 
this  convict,"  he  enquired  with  an  oath,  "who  will 
also  navigate  the  vessel  for  us  ?" 

The  centurion  made  him  no  answer,  he  was  looking 
thoughtfully  at  the  prisoner.  "  This  harbor  is  most 
incommodious,  even  unsafe,  good  Paulus,"  he  said 
argumentatively.  "  Surely  it  will  be  better  to  push  on 
to  Phenice,  which  is  less  than  a  day's  sail." 

Paul  shook  his  head.  "  The  day  of  Atonement  is 
already  past,"  he  replied  quietly;  "the  winds  and  the 
sea  may  not  be  safely  trusted  longer." 

"  The  fellow  is  a  Jew  and  therefore  a  coward !" 
roared  the  master  of  the  vessel  with  a  great  oath. 
"  Let  him  hold  his  tongue  about  matters  concerning 
which  he  has  not  been  asked.  By  the  body  of  Bac 
chus,  do  I  not  sail  the  good  Artemis  every  year  for 
full  two  months  after  every  beggarly  Israelite  has 
taken  to  the  land  ?*  At  this  moment,  sir,  there  is  a 
south  wind  blowing  fit  to  fan  a  lady's  cheek  ;  'twill 
waft  us  to  Phenice  before  sundown." 

"Then  let  us  loose  and  away  at  once,"  said  the 
centurion,  turning  away  with  an  air  of  decision. 

The  Artemis  was  a  large  staunchly-built  vessel  of 
about  nine  hundred  tons  burden,  rigged  after  the 

*  It  was  now  the  last  of  September,  and  with  the  Jews  navi 
gation  was  considered  at  an  end  for  the  season ;  the  Greeks 
and  Romans  however  did  not  regard  the  sea  as  "  closed  "  till 
about  the  middle  of  November. 


ON  THE  WAY  TO  ROME.  429 

fashion  of  the  times  with  a  stout  but  clumsy  mast,  to 
which  was  fastened  the  huge  square  main-sail  on  a 
yard  as  long  as  the  vessel  itself.  From  the  bow  pro 
jected  a  second  mast,  raking  far  forward  over  the 
water  and  rigged  with  a  triangular  fore-sail.  The 
stem-post  of  the  bow  ended  in  a  rudely-carven  image 
of  the  goddess  whose  name  the  good  ship  bore,  while 
below  and  on  either  side  were  painted  two  huge  star 
ing  eyes,  by  means  of  which  the  vessel  was  supposed 
to  be  better  able  to  "  look  the  wind  in  the  face."  The 
Artemis  sat  deep  in  the  water,  for  she  carried  a  full 
cargo  of  wheat  besides  her  two  hundred  and  fifty  pas 
sengers  and  a  crew  of  twenty  men. 

At  the  lusty  cry,  "All  hands  ahoy!"  the  ample 
decks  became  a  scene  of  the  liveliest  confusion  ;  the 
anchors  were  weighed  with  much  tugging  and  shout 
ing,  the  great  sails  hoisted,  and  the  unwieldly  craft, 
slowly  gathering  headway  in  the  light  south  wind, 
began  to  draw  away  from  the  land.  Closely  hug 
ging  the  shore  she  sailed  smoothly  along,  towing  her 
boat  a  cable's  length  behind,  it  having  been  deemed 
unnecessary  to  hoist  it  into  the  davits  for  so  short 
a  run. 

"  How  now,  Jew,"  sneered  Polybius,  planting  him 
self  in  front  of  the  manacled  prisoner  who  had  ven 
tured  to  challenge  his  wisdom,  "  does  the  goddess 
carry  that  precious  chain  of  thine  softly  enough  to 
please  thee?" 

Paul  lifted  his  eyes  thoughtfully  to  the  heights  of 
the  Cretan  Ida,  beneath  whose  shelter  they  were  now 


430  PAUL. 

sailing.  "  A  prudent  man  maketh  no  boast  of  his 
running  until  he  hath  laid  his  finger  upon  the  goal," 
he  said  with  a  shadowy  smile.  "  What  make  you, 
good  master,  of  yonder  cloud  on  the  summit?" 

"  Body  of  Bacchus  !"  bawled  the  sailor,  "  may  the 
furies — "  But  the  imprecation  was  never  finished  ;  it 
seemed  on  a  sudden  as  though  the  furies  so  lightly 
invoked  had  seized  the  luckless  vessel  in  their  grasp 
and  were  hurrying  her  on  to  certain  destruction. 

So  swift  and  so  fierce  was  the  descent  of  the  hurri 
cane  that  there  was  no  time  to  furl  the  great  main-sail. 
Through  a  smother  of  blinding  mist  and  boiling  surge 
the  hapless  Artemis  staggered  onward,  her  heavy  masts 
tugging  and  straining  fearfully  beneath  the  unwieldly 
mass  of  wet  canvas. 

"  Fetch  in  the  boat,"  shouted  the  master,  perceiving 
from  the  momentary  lull  that  the  vessel  had  run  under 
the  lee  of  the  island  of  Clauda.  With  the  help  of  the 
less-terrified  passengers  this  difficult  task  was  at  length 
accomplished.  But  now  it  was  discovered  that  water 
was  rising  rapidly  in  the  hold  ;  it  was  too  evident 
that  the  frightful  straining  of  the  masts  had  opened 
the  seams. 

"She  must  be  undergirded,"  quoth  the  captain — 
"and  may  the  gods  be  merciful !" 

Twice,  thrice,  the  great  cables  were  passed  under 
the  leaking  hull  and  knotted  fast  across  the  decks  ; 
then  ensued  a  desperate  struggle  to  lower  the  main- 
yard  with  its  huge  sail  ;  this  was  happily  successful, 
the  ship  was  hove  to  with  her  right  side  to  the  wind,  and 


ON  THE  WAY  TO  ROME.  431 

thus  secured,  rapidly  drifted  beyond  the  danger  most 
feared  at  the  moment,  the  perilous  quicksands  of  Syrtis. 

The  day  was  now  far  spent,  and  night,  moonless 
and  starless,  shut  down  over  the  boiling  sea.  The 
prisoners  were  secured  aft,  while  the  soldiers  and 
sailors  huddled  together  in  the  waist  of  the  ship. 
Many  of  them  prayed  wildly,  invoking  their  favorite 
gods  with  noisy  supplications  and  extravagant  vows, 
but  their  futile  clamor  was  swallowed  up  in  the  loud 
monotonous  chanting  of  the  shrieking  winds  and 
hurtling  waters. 

Towards  midnight,  one  of  the  sailors  crept  from  his 
place  and  made  his  way  along  the  slippery  decks  to 
the  place  where  the  prisoners  Avere  crouched  beneath 
the  shelter  of  the  bulwarks.  Putting  out  his  hand  in 
the  thick  darkness  he  touched  the  rough  wet  cloak  of 
the  man  he  sought. 

"Art  thou  afraid,  Paulus  ?" 

"The  spirit  of  God  moveth  upon  the  face  of  the 
waters,"  murmured  the  prisoner  as  if  thinking  aloud. 
"  Who  hath  measured  the  waters  also  in  the  hollow 
of  his  hand  ;  who  stretcheth  out  the  heavens  like  a 
curtain ;  who  layeth  the  beams  of  his  chamber  in  the 
waters ;  who  maketh  the  clouds  his  chariot ;  who 
walketh  upon  the  wings  of  the  wind.  O  Lord,  how 
manifest  are  thy  works  !  the  earth  is  full  of  thy  riches, 
as  also  is  this  great  and  wide  sea.  My  meditation  of 
him  shall  be  sweet ;  I  will  be  glad  in  the  Lord." 

"And  is  this  also  the  'Unknown  God'  of  whom 
thou  didst  speak  in  Athens?"  asked  the  sailor. 


432  PAUL. 

"Who  art  thou  ?" 

"  I  am  Onesimus,  once  a  slave  in  Colossae.  And 
look  you,  I  escaped  from  my  master,  taking  with  me 
ten  gold  pieces  which  I  stole  from  his  strong  box.  I 
tell  thee  this  because  I  know  that  thou  art  a  holy  man, 
and  because  death  stares  me  in  the  face  and  I  am  afraid. 
Can  thy  God  save  ?" 

Then  Paul  preached  once  again  the  message  of  the 
glad-tidings  to  the  repentant  slave  and  to  the  soldier 
who  was  chained  to  his  right  hand.  The  two  hung" 
upon  his  words,  forgetting  the  night  and  the  tempest 
and  the  yawning  deeps  below. 

When  the  first  faint  beams  of  morning  dawned,  the 
slave  Onesimus  cried  out  with  joy,  "  Lo,  I  believe  !" 

But  the  soldier  shook  his  head.  "  A  strange  talc," 
he  said  ;  "  it  hath  helped  to  while  away  the  night ;  but 
I  see  not  how  it  can  help  us  in  our  present  plight." 

The  day  which  had  now  fully  dawned  seemed  half- 
smothered  in  the  murky  cloud-rack  which  scudded 
rapidly  overhead  ;  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  the 
sea  was  rolling  in  immense  surges  white  with  foam. 
The  ship  still  drifted  west  by  north  from  Clauda,  the 
water  sweeping  completely  over  her  at  times  ;  it  was 
evident  that  she  must  soon  founder  unless  something 
could  be  done  to  lighten  her.  All  hands  were  accord 
ingly  called  and  a  part  of  the  cargo  was  heaved  over 
board. 

On  the  third  day,  the  situation  appearing  even  more 
desperate,  the  great  main-yard  with  its  mass  of  torn 
canvass  and  tangled  rigging  was  cut  away.  The  fury 


ON  THE  WA  Y  TO  ROME.  433 

of  the  storm  abated  slowly  during  the  days  which  fol 
lowed,  but  the  vessel,  now  little  better  than  a  disman 
tled  leaking  hulk,  drifted  helplessly  broadside  on  in 
the  sweltering  seas.  A  despairing  apathetic  silence 
gradually  settled  down  over  the  doomed  vessel ;  no 
attempt  was  made  to  navigate  the  wreck,  no  rations 
were  served  out,  nor  even  asked  for ;  no  one  spoke. 
For  twelve  days  and  nights  the  death-angel  had  hov 
ered  over  the  Artemis,  and  the  three  hundred  famish 
ing  helpless  wretches  on  her  decks  cowered  dumb 
beneath  the  terror  of  his  unseen  eyes. 

Yet  there  was  one  man  among  them  who  was  calm 
and  confident  amid  all  the  horror.  After  long  fasting 
Paul  stood  forth  in  the  midst  of  them  and  said,  "  Sirs, 
ye  should  have  hearkened  to  my  counsel  and  not  have 
loosed  from  Crete  :  then  would  ye  have  been  spared 
this  harm  and  loss.  And  now,  I  exhort  you  to  be  of 
good  cheer ;  for  there  shall  be  no  loss  of  any  man's 
life  among  you,  but  only  of  the  ship.  For  there  stood 
by  me  in  the  night  the  angel  of  God,  whose  I  am  and 
whom  I  serve,  saying,  Fear  not  Paul ;  thou  must  stand 
before  Caesar ;  and  lo  !  God  hath  given  thee  all  who 
sail  with  thee  ;  wherefore,  sirs,  be  of  good  cheer ;  for 
I  believe  God,  that  it  shall  be  even  as  it  was  told  me. 
Howbeit,  we  must  be  cast  upon  a  certain  island." 

When  they  had  heard  these  words  the  soldiers  and 
sailors  were  not  a  little  encouraged,  for  they  were 
ready  to  grasp  at  any  hope,  even  as  a  drowning  man 
will  clutch  at  a  floating  straw.  Moreover  there  was 
something  in  the  pale  face  and  shining  eyes  of  this 

28 


434  PAUL. 

man  which  inspired  them  with  confidence.  "  He  hath 
himself  the  look  of  an  immortal,"  they  whispered  one 
to  another. 

As  for  Polybius  he  declared  to  Julius,  the  centurion, 
with  one  of  his  outlandish  oaths,  that  he  believed  the 
man  was  an  oracle.  "  Unless,"  he  made  haste  to  add, 
"he  is  a  sorcerer,  and  hath  raised  this  tempest  because 
we  refused  to  follow  his  words.  If  I  thought  that,  by 
Bacchus,  I  would  heave  his  carcase  overboard  in  a 
twinkling  !  Ay,  the  skies  would  clear  then,  and  the 
wind  would  fall.  Look  you,  good  centurion,  if  this 
man  be  a  great  criminal,  the  gods  will  follow  us  in 
anger  till  we  shall  appease  their  wrath  by  his  sacri 
fice." 

But  the  centurion  frowned,  "  Thou  art  sadly  lack 
ing  in  wisdom  and  discretion,  my  master,  and  that  in 
more  things  than  in  the  sailing  of  thy  vessel.  I  warn 
thee  to  let  the  man  be,  for  he  is  under  the  protection 
of  Rome." 

About  midnight  of  the  fourteenth  day,  the  keen 
ears  of  the  sailors  distinguished  above  the  howling  of 
the  tempest  the  sullen  roar  of  breakers  dashing  upon 
a  rocky  coast.  Orders  were  at  once  given  to  heave 
the  lead ;  the  soundings  were  reported  to  be  twenty 
fathoms. 

"  Heave  again,  my  lads  !"  shouted  the  master, 
straining  his  eyes  through  the  darkness. 

"  Fifteen  fathoms,  sir." 

"Ay,  ay,  there  be  breakers!  I  see  a  smother  of 
foam  not  a  quarter  of  a  mile  ahead.  Drop  the  stern 


ON  THE  WAY  TO  ROME.  435 

anchors — all  four  of  them — or  we  shall  drift  broadside 
on  !" 

At  no  time  of  this  fearful  voyage  had  their  situa 
tion  appeared  so  hopeless  ;  drenched  with  the  driving 
rain  and  blinding  spray,  their  ears  filled  with  the 
thunder  of  the  hungry  breakers,  in  imminent  danger — 
so  they  thought — of  dragging  their  anchors,  it  is  per 
haps  not  strange  that  at  this  moment  of  frightful  peril 
the  brute  rose  uppermost  in  the  breasts  of  the  sailors. 
"  Let  us  take  the  boat,"  muttered  one  of  them,  "  and 
get  us  to  the  shore  if  we  may  ;  there  is  no  need  that 
all  perish,  and  yonder  rascally  soldiers  will  seize  it  in 
the  morning." 

In  pursuance  of  this  cowardly  design  they  prepared 
to  lower  the  boat  into  the  sea,  under  cover  of  drop 
ping  the  bow  anchors. 

But  the  keen  ear  of  Paul  had  caught  a  word  or  two, 
and  he  at  once  comprehended  their  plans.  Turning 
to  the  centurion  he  said  quietly,  "  Unless  these  sailors 
remain  in  the  ship,  ye  cannot  be  saved." 

Without  a  word  three  or  four  of  the  soldiers  who 
were  standing  near  drew  their  short  swords  and  cut 
the  ropes  ;  the  boat  fell  off  into  the  sea  with  a  great 
splash  and  drifted  off  to  leeward  in  the  darkness. 

As  the  first  faint  beams  of  morning  shone  in  the 
eastern  heavens,  Paul  besought  them  all  to  take  some 
food.  "This  is  the  fourteenth  day,"  he  said,  "that 
ye  have  continued  fasting.  Wherefore  I  pray  you  to 
take  some  meat ;  for  this  is  for  your  health.  Not  a 
hair  shall  fall  from  the  head  of  any  of  you." 


436  PA  UL. 

When  he  had  thus  spoken  he  took  bread,  and  gave 
thanks  to  God  in  presence  of  them  all :  and  break 
ing  it,  he  began  to  eat. 

"  Ay,  ay,  master,"  cried  one  of  the  sailors,  "  we 
will  do  even  as  thou  sayest ;  for  if  thy  God  save  us 
not  we  be  assuredly  dead  men." 

After  all  had  eaten  they  righted  the  ship  by  casting 
overboard  what  remained  of  her  cargo,  then  hoisting 
the  tattered  remnant  of  the  fore-sail  and  cutting  the 
anchor  cables  they  ran  the  ship  toward  the  shore,  in 
tending  if  possible  to  thrust  the  vessel  into  a  certain 
depression  in  the  unknown  coast,  which  they  took  to 
be  a  creek,  but  which  was  in  reality  the  narrow  chan 
nel  which  runs  betwixt  the  island  of  Salmonetta  and 
the  mainland.  When  the  disabled  Artemis  struck  the 
rough  water  caused  by  the  current  of  the  channel 
meeting  the  inrolling  waters  of  the  bay,  she  ceased  to 
answer  to  her  rudders*  and  drove  violently  on  to  an 
adjacent  sandbank  ;  here  the  hull  soon  began  to  go  to 
pieces  under  the  action  of  the  waves. 

"What  of  the  prisoners,  sir,"  said  one  of  the  sol 
diers,  approaching  his  superior  officer.  "As  thou 
knowest  we  are  accountable  for  them  with  our  lives. 
That  they  may  not  now  escape  us,  nothing  remains  to 
be  done  save  to  put  them  at  once  to  the  edge  of  the 
sword." 

"Not  so,"  exclaimed  the  centurion,  "do  not  we 

*  The  steering  of  ancient  vessels  was  accomplished  by  means 
of  two  long  oars  or  paddles,  which  projected  from  either  side  of 
the  stern,  and  which  could  be  raised  or  lowered  at  pleasure. 


ON  THE  WA  Y  TO  ROME.  437 

owe  our  lives  to  the  sagacity  of  one  of  them?  Loose 
them,  and  let  those  that  can  swim  fling  themselves 
into  the  sea  and  so  get  to  land  if  they  are  able." 

"As  for  the  rest,"  writes  Luke,  "some  clung  to 
spars,  and  others  to  pieces  of  the  wreckage  ;  and  so  it 
came  to  pass,  that  all  escaped  safe  to  land." 

Drenched,  bruised,  faint,  and  chilled  with  the  cutting 
blasts  of  the  raw  November  wind,  the  shipwrecked 
company  yet  had  abundant  cause  for  thanksgiving, 
for  not  one  of  their  number  was  missing.  And  now 
the  inhabitants  of  the  place,  which  proved  to  be  the 
island  of  Melita,  began  to  gather  at  the  scene  of  the 
wreck.  A  "barbarous  folk,"  Luke  calls  them,  but 
not  devoid  of  human  sympathy,  for  they  at  once  set 
to  work  to  build  fires,  that  the  sufferers  might  warm 
their  benumbed  bodies.  Paul,  eager  as  ever  to  work 
for  others,  was  among  the  most  active  in  collecting 
drift-wood  and  dried  furze  roots  for  this  purpose.  As 
he  cast  an  armful  of  fuel  upon  the  flames  a  viper  leapt 
out  from  the  smoke  and  fastened  upon  his  hand. 

"Behold!"  cried  one  of  the  islanders,  catching  his 
neighbor  by  the  arm,  "  this  fellow  must  be  a  murderer  ; 
he  hath  escaped  the  sea,  but  vengeance  suffers  him 
not  to  live." 

They  stared  at  the  man  with  great  eyes  as  he  shook 
off  the  venomous  beast  into  the  fire.  "  Presently," 
one  whispered,  "  he  will  be  swollen  ;  then  he  will  drop 
dead." 

But  after  they  had  watched  a  long  time  and  neither 
of  these  things  came  to  pass,  they  changed  their 


438  PA  UL. 

minds.  "  Assuredly,  this  viper-bitten  is  a  god ;  for 
no  man  hath  suffered  the  like  and  lived — no,  not 
within  the  memory  of  the  oldest  of  our  tribe." 

And  of  this  they  afterward  became  the  more  con 
vinced,  for  it  was  told  them  how  Paul  healed  the  father 
of  the  Roman  governor  of  the  island,  one  Publius,  at 
whose  house  the  centurion  Julius  and  the  chief  passen 
gers  were  hospitably  entertained. 

"The  Roman  had  lain  desperately  sick  of  this 
fever  for  more  than  seven  days,"  quoth  their  informant 
who  had  himself  witnessed  the  miracle ;  "  those  of  us 
who  attended  him  thought  verily  that  his  last  hour 
had  come,  when  this  man — whom  they  call  Paulus — 
entered  into  the  chamber.  He  first  looked  attentively 
at  the  sick  one,  afterward  he  lifted  up  his  eyes  toward 
heaven  and  uttered  some  wrords  in  a  strange  tongue, 
next  he  laid  his  hands  upon  the  man  and  bade  him 
rise  up.  Which  thing  also  he  did  with  ease,  my 
friends,  for  he  was  perfectly  healed  of  his  disease." 

When  the  fame  of  this  miracle  had  gone  abroad 
throughout  the  island,  others  who  were  sick  came  and 
besought  Paul,  and  he  healed  them  every  one. 

Now  when  the  winter  had  come  to  an  end  it  became 
necessary  to  continue  the  voyage,  and  this  the  centu 
rion  determined  to  accomplish  by  means  of  another 
Alexandrian  wheat-ship,  the  Castor  and  Pollux,  which 
had  wintered  at  the  island.  All  the  inhabitants  of 
Malta,  as  many  as  had  been  healed  by  the  hand  of 
Paul  and  those  who  had  been  taught  by  him,  mourned 
and  wept  when  the  day  of  parting  came,  especially 


ON  THE  WAY  TO  ROME.  439 

since  they  beheld  him  once  more  chained  to  a  soldier 
of  the  guard.  These  good  islanders  brought  gifts  in 
abundance,  clothing  and  food,  and  many  other  things 
which  they  hoped  might  prove  a  comfort  to  the  pri 
soner  in  his  captivity. 

Thus  the  travelers  set  sail  from  Malta,  followed  by 
many  prayers  and  tears.  After  a  prosperous  voyage 
they  arrived  at  Syracuse,  where  they  tarried  three 
days.  "From  thence,"  writes  the  historian,  "we 
fetched  a  compass,  and  came  to  Rhegium  :  and  after 
one  day  the  south  wind  blew,  and  we  came  the  next 
day  to  Puteoli,  where  we  found  brethren,  and  were 
desired  to  tarry  with  them  seven  days.  And  so  we 
went  towards  Rome." 

It  is  interesting  to  note  in  connection  with  this  chapter  that 
every  detail  of  the  voyage  and  shipwreck  as  given  in  the  inspired 
record  has  been  amply  proven  by  the  researches  and  experi 
ence  of  modern  times.  For  example,  it  has  been  ascertained 
that  it  would  take  just  fourteen  days  for  a  vessel  to  drift  from 
the  island  of  Clauda  to  Malta.  It  is  thought  that  the  exact 
position  of  the  wreck  has  been  determined  ;  and  the  anchorage 
of  tenacious  clay,  "the  place  where  two  seas  meet,"  and  all 
other  features  of  the  place  are  precisely  as  represented  by  Luke. 
For  the  technical  details  of  this  chapter  I  referred  most  frequently 
to  that  valuable  authority,  Smith's  "  Voyage  and  Shipwreck  of 
St.  Paul." 


440  PA  UL. 


CHAPTER  XLL 

"  READY    TO    BE    OFFERED." 

THE  little  town  of  Appii  Forum,  twenty -seven 
miles  from  Rome,  was  crowded  as  was  its 
wont  with  a  motley  throng  of  travelers,  soldiers,  huck 
sters,  bargemen,  and  idlers  of  every  nationality.  Some 
stood  about  in  the  warm  March  sunshine  gossiping 
and  laughing  over  the  latest  scandal  from  the  city, 
others  crowded  the  wine-shops  and  places  where  hot 
victuals  of  all  sorts  were  offered  for  sale,  while  others 
still  anxiously  watched  the  great  highway,  a  triumph 
of  human  patience  and  skill,  which  stretched  its  broad 
and  solid  leagues  away  through  the  noisome  Pomp- 
tine  marshes. 

Before  a  small  tavern  on  the  main  road,  among 
other  persons  who  were  eagerly  awaiting  the  incoming 
cohort  of  Julius,  stood  a  group  of  five  men  and  two 
women,  their  eyes  fixed  upon  a  distant  cloud  of  dust 
which  evidenced  the  approach  of  a  large  body  of  foot 
and  horse. 

"  Yes,"  cried  one  of  the  women,  clasping  her 
hands,  while  the  tears  streamed  down  her  cheeks,  "  it 
must  be  that  they  are  coming  ;  but  how  can  we  bear 
to  see  him  in  chains  ?" 

"  Nay,    my   Priscilla,"   said  her   companion   sooth- 


"READY  TO  BE  OFFERED.''1  441 

ingly,  "  let  him  not  find  thee  in  tears ;  surely  he 
will  need  all  the  cheer  and  comfort  which  we  can  be 
stow." 

"  Thou  art  right,  my  Junia. — But  see  it  is  the  co 
hort !"  and  the  warm-hearted  Priscilla  started  forward 
as  if  she  would  have  penetrated  the  serried  ranks  of 
legionaries  which  now  began  to  file  past  them.  "  Yes 
— yes,  there  he  is  !  See,  my  husband — riding  on  the 
mule  behind  the  two  horsemen. — My  God,  the  chain  ! 
And  ah,  how  old  and  worn  !" 

The  cohort  had  come  to  a  halt  now  and  the  prison 
ers,  each  manacled  to  a  soldier  and  further  guarded 
by  a  quaternion,  were  marched  into  the  shelter  of  a 
shed  near  by. 

Aquila  lost  no  time  in  asking  permission  to  speak 
to  the  prisoner  Paulus,  and  he  was  not  a  little 
comforted  at  the  readiness  with  which  his  request  was 
granted. 

"  Thou  mayst  speak  with  Paulus,"  said  the  centu 
rion  courteously,  "  and  I  will  also  give  orders  that  he 
be  removed  to  a  room  in  the  inn,  where  he  may  fur 
ther  refresh  himself  in  your  good  company." 

When  the  worn  prisoner  found  himself  once  more 
among  them  that  loved  him,  "he  thanked  God  and 
took  courage."  About  ten  miles  further  on,  at  a 
place  called  The  Three  Taverns,  a  second  group  of 
Christians  was  waiting  to  bid  him  welcome.  And  so 
along  the  Appian  Way,  where  many  a  mailed  warrior 
had  ridden  proudly  with  his  conquering  legions  to 
celebrate  his  triumphs  in  imperial  Rome,  came  this 


442  PAUL. 

scarred  and  wearied  veteran,  clad  in  the  whole  armor 
of  God,  the  hero  of  the  grandest  triumph  the  world 
had  ever  witnessed,  to  receive  the  glorious  crown  of 
his  reward.  Past  tombs  and  temples,  past  snug  ham 
lets  and  marble  palaces  embosomed  in  trees,  past  the 
storied  Alban  hills,  across  the  famous  viaduct  of  Ari- 
cia,  through  long  rows  of  suburban  villas,  through  the 
Porta  Capena,  with  its  vast  arch  perpetually  dripping 
with  the  waters  of  the  aqueduct  which  flowed  above, 
under  triumphal  arches,  Julius  and  his  prisoners 
marched  on,  till  at  length  they  reached  the  "  Golden 
Milestone"  of  the  Forum,  the  heart  of  the  civilized 
world,  the  centre  and  source  of  all  earthly  power  and 
magnificence.  From  this  "Golden  Milestone"  radi 
ated  the  shining  roads  which  bound  the  distant  prov 
inces  to  the  heart  of  the  Eternal  City,  and  about  it 
clustered  the  historic  buildings  of  the  republic,  and  the 
glittering  courts  of  the  "Golden  House,"  that  won 
drous  palace  of  the  Caesars.  Here  Julius  delivered 
the  persons  of  the  prisoners  into  the  charge  of  Burrus, 
the  prefect  of  praetorians.  By  his  orders  they  were 
at  once  marched  into  the  barracks  of  the  imperial 
guard. 

The  centurion  seemed  in  no  haste  to  depart  though 
his  duty  was  now  ended.  "A  word  with  thee,  most 
noble  Burrus,"  he  said,  "before  I  leave  the  prisoners 
in  thy  charge.  There  is  among  them  a  certain  aged 
man  called  Paulus,  who  is  innocent  of  any  crime.  I 
myself  heard  his  defense  before  Festus  and  Agrippa, 
both  of  whom  pronounced  him  not  guilty  ;  but  be-- 


"READY  TO  BE  OFFERED."  443 

cause  he  appealed  to  Caesar  they  had  no  choice  but  to 
send  him  to  Rome.  He  was  first  imprisoned  in  the 
days  of  Felix,  through  the  spite  and  malice  of  the 
Jews  who  hate  him  consumedly  because  he  is  what  we 
call  a  Christian.  But  by  all  the  immortals,  I  swear 
that  he  is  not  only  guiltless  of  any  misdemeanor  but 
that  he  is  also  a  wise,  just  and  holy  man."  Where 
upon  he  related  all  the  circumstances  of  the  voyage 
and  shipwreck,  and  also  concerning  the  miracles  per 
formed  among  the  inhabitants  of  Malta.  "Therefore 
I  pray  you,"  he  said  in  conclusion,  "show  the  man 
what  favor  you  may,  and  give  him  all  the  liberty  pos 
sible  under  the  law ;  he  will  not  abuse  it,  this  I  can 
promise  thee." 

Burrus  nodded  his  head  understandingly.  "  It 
shall  be  as  thou  hast  said,  my  good  Julius.  I  will 
look  to  it." 

And  so  it  came  to  pass  that  Paul  was  allowed  to 
dwell  in  lodgings  by  himself  near  the  barracks.  The 
soldiers  to  whom  he  was  chained  also  showed  him 
such  kindness  as  they  were  able,  and  best  of  all  he 
was  permitted  to  receive  his  friends  freely.  On  the 
third  day  after  his  arrival  he  sent  a  message  to  the 
,  chief  Jews  of  Rome  asking  them  to  assemble  them 
selves  at  his  house.  They  came  to  a  man  for  they 
were  curious  to  look  upon  the  famous  apostate. 

"  Brethren,"  began  the  prisoner  regarding  his  coun- 

"trymen  with  wistful  eyes,  "though  I  have  committed 

no  offense  against  Israel,  nor  against  the  customs  of 

our  fathers,  yet  was  I  delivered  chained  from  Jerusalem 


444  PA  UL. 

into  the  hands  of  the  Romans.  And  these  when  they 
had  examined  me  would  have  set  me  free,  because  I 
had  done  nothing  worthy  of  death.  But  when  the 
Jews  opposed  this,  I  was  forced  to  appeal  unto  Caesar 
— not  that  I  had  aught  to  accuse  my  nation  of.  For 
this  reason  therefore  I  sent  for  you,  that  I  might  see 
and  speak  with  you.  For  the  hope  of  Israel  I  am 
bound  with  this  chain." 

"  We  have  received  no  letters  from  Judaea  concern 
ing  thee,"  said  one  Simon  Ben  Ishmael  cautiously, 
"  nor  have  any  of  the  brethren  who  have  recently  visited 
us  shown  or  spoken  any  evil  of  thee.  But  we  desire 
to  hear  whatthou  hast  to  say  concerning  this  new  faith, 
for  we  know  this  much  that  the  sect  is  everywhere 
spoken  against." 

A  day  was  accordingly  appointed,  and  the  Jews 
flocked  in  great  numbers  to  the  house  of  Paul  that 
they  might  hear  him  expound  the  Christian  faith.  And 
he  preached  to  them  from  morning  until  evening  con 
cerning  Jesus  the  Christ,  backing  up  his  words  with 
the  solemn  testimony  of  the  law  and  of  the  prophets. 
"  And  some  believed  the  things  which  were  spoken, 
and  some  believed  not." 

At  the  last  when  the  discussion  waxed  hot  betwixt  % 
them,  many  also  mocking  at  the  tale  of  the  crucified 
Christ,  Paul  dismissed  them  with  that  one  weighty 
word  of  warning  and  reproof  once  uttered  by  Jesus 
himself.  "  Well  spake  the  Holy  Spirit  by  Esaias  the 
prophet  unto  our  fathers,  saying,  Go  unto  this  people 
and  say,  Hearing  ye  shall  hear,  and  shall  not  under- 


"READY  TO  BE  OFFERED."  445 

stand  ;  and  seeing  ye  shall  see,  and  not  perceive  :  for 
the  heart  of  this  people  is  waxed  gross,  and  their  ears 
are  dull  of  hearing,  and  their  eyes  have  they  closed ; 
lest  they  should  see  with  their  eyes,  and  hear  with 
their  ears,  and  understand  with  their  heart,  and  should 
be  converted,  and  I  should  heal  them.  Be  it  known 
therefore  unto  you,  that  the  salvation  of  God  is  sent 
unto  the  Gentiles,  and  that  they  will  hear  it." 

"And  when  he  had  said  these  words,"  writes  Luke, 
"  the  Jews  departed  and  had  great  reasoning  among 
themselves."  Then  he  brings  his  chronicle  to  an  end 
with  these  significant  words,  "And  Paul  dwelt  two  whole 
years  in  his  own  hired  house,  and  received  all  that 
came  to  him  ;  preaching  the  kingdom  of  God  and 
teaching  those  things  which  concern  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  with  all  confidence,  no  man  forbidding  him." 

Of  those  years  in  Rome  there  yet  remains  to  us 
some  slight  record  in  the  Epistles  written  to  his  beloved 
churches  in  Colossae,  in  Ephesus,  and  in  Philippi.  If 
he  could  not  go  to  them  himself  there  were  yet  willing 
messengers  ready  to  bear  his  words  of  love  and  wisdom 
to  "the  faithful  in  Christ  Jesus."  And  so,  though  he 
knew  it  not,  this  "ambassador  in  bonds"  spoke  to 
the  church  of  all  the  ages. 

"Unto  me,"  he  writes,  "who  am  less  than  the  least 
of  all  saints,  is  this  grace  given,  that  I  should  preach 
among  the  Gentiles  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ 
Jesus  our  Lord.  For  this  cause  I  bend  my  knees 
before  the  Father,  of  whom  the  whole  family  in  heaven 
and  earth  is  named,  that  he  may  grant  you,  according 


446  PA  UL. 

to  the  riches  of  his  glory,  to  be  strengthened  with  might 
by  his  spirit  in  the  inner  man  ;  that  Christ  may  dwell 
in  your  hearts  by  faith  ;  that  ye  being  rooted  and 
grounded  in  love,  may  be  able  with  all  saints  to  com 
prehend  the  breadth  and  length,  and  depth  and  height 
thereof.  And  to  know  the  love  of  Christ  which 
passeth  knowledge,  that  ye  may  be  filled  with  all  the 
fullness  of  God." 

Seldom  in  these  letters  does  he  refer  to  his  helpless 
condition,  except  by  way  of  apology  for  his  barely- 
decipherable  signature,  "which  was  the  token  in  every 
epistle."  Not  once  does  he  bewail  the  injustice  of  his 
imprisonment,  nor  ask  that  means  shall  be  taken  to 
bring  about  his  release. 

"Walk  in  wisdom  toward  them  that  are  without," 
he  writes  to  Colossae,  "  redeeming  the  time.  Let 
your  speech  be  always  with  grace,  seasoned  with  salt, 
that  ye  may  know  how  ye  ought  to  answer  every 
man.  All  that  concerns  me  will  be  made  known  to 
you  by  Tychicus,  who  is  a  beloved  brother,  and  a 
faithful  minister  and  fellow-servant  in  the  Lord  :  whom 
I  have  sent  to  you  for  this  very  end,  that  he  might 
learn  your  state  and  comfort  your  hearts  ;  with  Onesi- 
mus,  the  faithful  and  beloved  brother,  your  fellow- 
countryman  ;  they  will  tell  you  all  that  has  hap 
pened  here The  salutation  of  me,  Paul,  with 

my  own  hand.  Remember  my  chain.  Grace  be  with 
you." 

What  then  had  happened  ?  Onesimus,  the  fugitive 
slave,  was  about  to  return  to  Colossae,  to  face  the 


"READY  TO  BE  OFFERED."  447 

master  from  whom  he  had  escaped  so  many  years  ago. 
He  had  followed  Paul  to  Rome  and  had  attached  him 
self  to  his  person  in  the  capacity  of  a  humble  attend 
ant.  "  If  thou  art  a  slave  of  the  Lord  Jesus,"  he  said, 
"  let  me,  I  pray  thee,  be  thy  slave."  And  Paul  had 
suffered  him,  that  he  might  the  more  readily  impart 
to  this  darkened  soul  the  teachings  of  the  Master. 

But  after  a  year  had  elapsed  he  spoke  to  him  gently 
of  his  duty  to  the  master  whom  he  had  so  grievously 
wronged.  "  I  will  write,"  he  said,  "a  letter  to  Phile 
mon — who  also  received  the  glad-tidings  with  joy  many 
years  since  ;  he  will  receive  thee  from  my  hand  no 
longer  as  a  slave  but  as  a  brother,  which  indeed  thou 
hast  been  and  art — even  a  brother  faithful  and  be 
loved." 

Ones-imus  raised  his  head  ;  his  face  was  white  but 
determined,  and  his  eyes  shone  with  the  radiance  of  a 
great  love.  "  I  will  do  this  thing,"  he  said  in  a  low 
voice,  "  because  thou  hast  bidden  me  ;  and  if  I  perish, 
I  perish."* 

"  Nay,  my  son,"  said  Paul,  laying  his  chained  hand 
on  the  bowed  head,  "  thy  master  will  receive  thee  as 
he  would  receive  me,  in  all  love  and  honor,  for  the 
sake  of  him  who  both  died  and  hath  given  himself  for 
us,  even  Christ  our  Lord." 

In  his  quarters  near  the  barracks  of  the  praetorian 
guard,  under  the  very  shadow  of  the  "  Golden  House," 


*  The  law  condemned  the  fugitive  slave  to  death  by  cruci 
fixion.     See  also  the  Epistle  to  Philemon. 


448  PAUL. 

the  aged  prisoner  could  not  have  failed  to  hear  fre 
quent  mention  of  the  shameful  and  horrible  events 
daily  transpiring  in  that  abode  of  blood  and  lust.  He 
must  have  heard  of  the  fatal  ascendancy  of  the  adul 
teress,  Poppaea,  whom  the  Jews  now  proudly  claimed 
as  a  proselyte  ;  of  the  banishment  and  murder  of  the 
innocent  Octavia,  the  lawful  wife  of  the  emperor  before 
whose  tribunal  he  was  soon  to  stand.  But  he  makes 
no  mention  of  these  historic  events  in  his  letter  to  the 
Philippians,  written  at  about  this  time  ;  nor  does  he 
allude,  except  in  the  most  casual  manner,  to  the 
threatening  aspect  which  his  own  affairs  had  assumed, 
owing  to  the  death  of  the  kind  and  honest  Burrus 
and  the  accession  to  power  of  the  infamous  Tigellinus. 
"Wherefore,  my  beloved,"  he  writes,  "as  you  have 
always  obeyed  me,  not  as  in  my  presence  only,  but 
how  much  more  in  my  absence,  work  out  your  own 
salvation  with  fear  and  trembling ;  for  it  is  God  that 
worketh  in  you  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good 
pleasure.  Do  all  things  for  the  sake  of  goodwill, 
without  murmurings  and  disputings,  that  you  may  be 
blameless  and  guiltless,  the  sons  of  God  without 
rebuke  in  the  midst  of  a  crooked  and  perverse  gener 
ation,  among  whom  ye  shine  like  stars  in  the  world  ; 
holding  fast  the  word  of  life,  so  that  I  may  rejoice  in 
the  day  of  Christ,  that  I  have  not  run  in  vain  neither 
labored  in  vain.  Yea,  and  if  my  blood  be  poured 
forth,  I  rejoice  for  myself,  and  rejoice  with  you  all. 
And  do  ye  likewise  rejoice  both  for  yourselves  and 
with  me." 


"READY  TO  BE  OFFERED."  449 

Toward  the  close  of  this  epistle  are  found  these  sig 
nificant  words,  "All  the  saints  salute  you,  especially 
they  that  are  of  Caesar's  household." 

"They  of  Caesar's  household,"  the  fierce  veterans 
to  whom  he  was  chained,  but  who  also  were  chained 
to  him  during  many  weary  yet  blessed  hours ;  the 
slaves  who  crept  to  his  feet  for  comfort  and  solace,  the 
lowliest  of  the  lowly,  despised  and  downtrodden  be 
neath  the  iron  heel  of  infamy,  yet  brothers  beloved  and 
saints  of  God. 

Not  many  days  after,  the  aged  prisoner  was  called 
before  the  dread  tribunal  of  Rome.  Was  he  acquitted 
and  released,  or  was  he  remanded  to  his  prison  there 
to  languish  for  unknown  months  and  years?  We 
cannot  tell.  Volume  after  volume  has  been  written 
on  the  subject ;  wise  men  of  every  creed  and  national 
ity  have  discussed  the  question  in  all  its  varied  aspects, 
but  to-day  we  can  only  repeat  the  words,  We  cannot 
tell. 

To  Timothy,  his  "  dearly  beloved  son,"  Paul  writes 
his  last  word. 

"  I  adjure  thee  before  God  and  Jesus  Christ,  who  is 
about  to  judge  the  living  and  the  dead,  I  adjure  thee 
by  his  appearing  and  his  kingdom — proclaim  the  tid 
ings,  be  urgent  in  season  and  out  of  season,  convince, 
rebuke,  exhort,  with  all  forbearance  and  perseverance 
in  teaching.  But  watch  thou  in  all  things,  endure 
afflictions,  do  the  work  of  an  evangelist,  make  full 
proof  of  thy  ministry.  For  I  am  now  ready  to  be 
offered,  and  the  time  of  my  departure  is  at  hand.  I 

29 


450  PA  UL. 

have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  finished  my  course, 
I  have  kept  the  faith.  Henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for 
me  a  crown  of  righteousness,  which  the  Lord,  the 
righteous  judge,  shall  give  me  at  that  day ;  and  not 
to  me  only,  but  unto  all  them  who  love  his  appearing. 

"  Do  thy  diligence  to  come  to  me  speedily ;  for 
Demas  hath  forsaken  me  for  love  of  this  present 
world,  and  hath  departed  to  Thessalonica  ;  Crescens  is 
gone  to  Galatia,  Titus  to  Dalmatia.  Only  Luke  is 
with  me.  Take  Mark  and  bring  him  with  thee,  for  he 
is  profitable  to  me  for  the  ministry. 

"When  thou  comest,  bring  with  thee  the  cloak  that 
I  left  at  Troas,  and  the  books,  but  especially  the  parch 
ments. 

"At  my  first  answer  no  man  stood  with  me,  but  all 
forsook  me.  I  pray  God  that  it  may  not  be  laid  to 
their  charge.  Nevertheless  the  Lord  Jesus  stood  by 
me  and  strengthened  my  heart,  that  by  me  the  herald 
ing  of  the  glad-tidings  might  be  accomplished  in  full 
measure,  and  that  all  the  Gentiles  might  hear ;  and  I 
was  delivered  out  of  the  lion's  mouth." 

For  an  instant  the  light  shines  full  upon  the  heroic 
figure,  then  it  disappears  forever  in  the  impenetrable 
mists  of  the  years,  but  not  before  we  catch  the  triumph 
ant  words  of  farewell.  "  And  the  Lord  shall  deliver 
me  from  every  evil,  and  shall  preserve  me  unto  his 
heavenly  kingdom.  To  Him  be  glory  unto  the  ages 
of  ages.  Amen." 


STEPHEN:  A  SOLDIER  OF  THE  CROSS 

By  FLORENCE  M.  KINGSLEY,  author  of  "  Titus;  a  Comrade  of 
the  Cross."   With  Portrait.    Large  I2mo.,  Cloth,  Ornamental, 

$1.25. 

"  Stephen  "  is  a  story  full  of  the  passion  and  fire  of  life. 
From  the  first  chapter  till  the  end  there  is  a  continuous  and 
unabated  interest. 

This  is  a  sweetly  and  truly  Christian  story  from  the  times  of  the  mar 
tyr  Stephen,  told  with  the  fire,  life  and  simplicity  of  the  East  thrilling 

in  it The  story  brings  in  all  the  actors  in  the  drama  of  the 

rising  young  Church — Caiaphas,  Saul,  Peter,  John,  Stephen,  and  the 
rest.  It  is  an  interesting  and  effective  addition  to  the  class  of  literature 
to  which  it  belongs. — New  York  Independent. 

The  plot  of  the  story  is  religious,  the  scene  being  laid  in  the  early 

apostolic  times A  beautiful  story,  noble  and  pure  in  all  its 

details.  It  is  a  book  for  our  boys  and  girls  to  read. — Evangelist. 

"  Stephen  "  is  reverent  in  its  realism,  wholly  loyal  to  the  better  spirit 
of  the  Sacred  Scriptures.  A  book  excellent  for  the  church  library. — 
Western  Christian  Advocate. 

An  admirably  written  story  of  the  first  Christian  martyr  ....  is 
sure  to  have  a  large  reading. — Michigan  Christian  Advocate. 

Holds  the  reader's  attention  from  first  to  last,  and  all  who  read  the 
book  will  find  the  pulses  of  the  better  life  stirred  within  them. —  J7ie 
Watchiuord. 

No  one  who  has  read  Mrs.  Kingsley's  beautiful  story  of  "  Titus " 
will  be  likely  to  overlook  the  no  less  attractive  one  of  "  Stephen."  — 
Boston  Commonwealth. 

The  story  of  Stephen  is  that  of  weak  mortality  glorified  and  made 
all-powerful  by  strong  and  childlike  faith. — Phila.  Telegraph. 

The  figures  are  clearly  defined  and  the  interest  is  aroused  at  once. 
The  author  has  scored  a  decided  success.  —  Phila.  Inquirer. 


PUBLISHED  BY  HENRY  ALTEMUS,  PHILADELPHIA 

f£g-For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  -will  be  sent  by  the  publisher,  postage  paid, 
to  any  part  of  the  United  States,  on  receipt  of  the  price. 


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